Bioconservation of artisanal raw goat milk cheese produced with lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lacticaseibacillus spp.

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the bioconservation of artisanal raw goat milk cheese produced with lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lacticaseibacillus spp. Cheeses were prepared with the addition of 2 % (v/v) of autochthonous lactic culture, while a control group was produced without the addition of these bacteria. Ripening was carried out at room temperature in the Brazilian semi-arid region. After 20 days of room ripening, the cheeses were classified as hard (< 36.0 % moisture). There was more intense proteolytic activity, and a more accelerated reduction of the pathogenic and deteriorating microbial population in the cheeses, which contained a viable lactic acid bacteria count (6.45–7.35 log CFU g⁻¹). The autochthonous strains of Lacticaseibacillus spp. may have contributed to the bioconservation and acceptability of raw goat milk cheese, making it possible to reduce production costs with imported starter cultures and preservation technologies, such as pasteurization and refrigeration. The cheeses were better accepted in the form of “grated cheese” when they presented uniform characteristics, typical cheese flavor, sandy, pleasant taste, and residual yogurt aroma.