Evaluation of the microbiological quality of colonial cheeses sold at open air market in Fraiburgo, SC

• Autor(a) principal: Paim, Stefanie Manoela
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Baratto, César Milton
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Evidência - Ciência e Biotecnologia - Interdisciplinar
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unoesc.edu.br/evidencia/article/view/28120
• topic: Contaminação; Salmonella; Escherichia coli; Estafilococos; Contamination; Salmonella; Escherichia coli; staphylococci

The colonial raw milk cheese is a handmade product usually sold at open air markets. Thus, in addition to unstable production conditions, there are other variants that affect its sanitary quality until it reaches the point of sale. Due to the potential risk of foodborne illnesses, the risk of microbial contamination is high, so informal trade in milk and dairy products has related effects on public health. This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality of colonial cheeses sold in open air markets in the city of Fraiburgo/SC, in order to verify whether such products comply with the parameters required by current legislation. During a six-month period (November 2020 to April 2021), three samples of colonial cheese purchased from three different producers were collected monthly at the open air market in Fraiburgo, located in the Midwest of Santa Catarina. After being collected, the samples were taken to the microbiological laboratory of the Laboratório Terranálises (Fraiburgo/SC), where the analysis of enumeration of Escherichia coli, enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci and investigation of Salmonella spp. Based on the results obtained, it can be stated that 38.89% (7/18) of the colonial cheese samples are not in accordance with the current legal microbiological standards, with 27.78% (5/18) of the samples were in non-compliance with the Escherichia coli standard and 33.3% (6/18) were not in compliance with the accepted upper limit for coagulase-positive staphylococci. However, none of the samples were contaminated with Salmonella spp. Thus, it is necessary to invest in the proper use of good manufacturing practices in such products, as well as inspect open air markets to comply with sanitary standards in the hygienic handling of food, and train producers in relation to the correct way to store and transport their products in order to ensure its quality from the field to the sale to the purchaser.