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Filamentous Fungi from Artisanal Cheeses Produced in Canastra Region, Brazil

2022; RELX Group (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês

10.2139/ssrn.4142335

1556-5068

Isabel Cristina da Rocha César, Meiriele Silva, Samara Aparecida Santana, Jonas Guimarães e Silva, Célia Lúcia de Luces Fortes Ferreira, José Guilherme Prado Martin,

Microbial Metabolism and Applications

Artisanal Minas Cheese (QMA – Queijo Minas Artesanal) produced in Canastra region is the most famous artisanal cheese produced in Brazil. In recent years, producers have been producing Canastra cheeses with different fungal species on their surface to target a new market niche for artisanal cheeses comprising complex and differentiated sensory attributes. The mycobiota found both in cheeses and in the air, in cheese-ripening rooms in Canastra region, were evaluated in the current study. In total, 53 isolates were identified in the analyzed cheese samples; Fusarium solani, Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus westerdijkiae and Penicillium steckii were the most prevalent ones. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Geotrichum and Cladosporium were the main fungal genera in the air of the investigated ripening rooms; Piumhi was the city presenting the largest number of fungal populations in the air, among the nine evaluated cities. These results can provide more information about artisanal cheeses produced in Canastra region, as well as contribute to the discussion about the safety, quality and regulatory aspects of these products.