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Artisanal Sonoran cheese (Cocido cheese): an exploration of its production process, chemical composition and microbiological quality
Author(s) -
CuevasGonzález Paúl F,
HerediaCastro Priscilia Y,
MéndezRomero José I,
HernándezMendoza Adrián,
ReyesDíaz Ricardo,
VallejoCordoba Belinda,
GonzálezCórdova Aarón F
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.8309
Subject(s) - food science , farmer cheese , dairy industry , production (economics) , business , raw milk , final product , milk products , agricultural science , environmental science , biology , market economy , economics , macroeconomics
BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to explore and document the production process of artisanal Cocido cheese and to determine its chemical composition and microbiological quality, considering samples from six dairies and four retailers. RESULTS Cocido cheese is a semi‐hard (506–555 g kg −1 of moisture), medium fat (178.3–219.1 g kg −1 ), pasta filata‐type cheese made from raw whole cow's milk. The production process is not standardized and therefore the chemical and microbiological components of the sampled cheeses varied. Indicator microorganisms significantly decreased ( P < 0.05) during the processing of Cocido cheese. Salmonella spp. were not found during the production process, and both Listeria monocytogenes and staphylococcal enterotoxin were absent in the final cheeses. CONCLUSION This study provides more information on one of the most popular artisanal cheeses with high cultural value and economic impact in northwestern Mexico. In view of the foregoing, good manufacturing practices need to be implemented for the manufacture of Cocido cheese. Also, it is of utmost importance to make sure that the heat treatment applied for cooking the curd ensures a phosphatase‐negative test, otherwise it would be necessary to pasteurize milk. Nevertheless, since Cocido cheese is a non‐ripened, high‐moisture product, it is a highly perishable product that could present a health risk if not properly handled. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry