Evaluation of the Microbial Quality and Total Phenolic Content of a Local Smoked Cheese
Abstract
The increasing of the organic foods consumption to prevent the loss of cultural and social traditions that have survived for centuries, requires a proper assessment of the safety and quality of these products. The purpose of this study was the microbiological analysis of smoked cheese and non-smoked cheese, in order to assess the antimicrobial effect of smoke, as well as the determination of water-soluble phenolic compounds. The microbiological analyzes that were performed are: total number of aerobic mesophilic germs, coliform bacteria, coagulase-positive staphylococci, total number of yeasts and molds. The Folin–Ciocalteu test was chosen to measure total phenolic content of smoked cheese extracts. Microbial activity is reduced in smoked cheese types compared to non-smoked. The registered values were below the maximum admissible limits in the case of the total aerobic germs and shown coliform absence and inhibation in the growth of coagulase-positive staphylococci. Yeast and molds have been also inhibited through the smoking process. The total content of phenols varied from one assortment to another, with higher values in traditionally smoked cheese. The study shows that the microbiological quality of the cheese is greatly influenced by the hygienic conditions of processing and storage.
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