CONDIÇÕES HIGIÊNICAS DO PROCESSO FERMENTIVO DE EMPRESAS PRODUTORAS DE CACHAÇA DO ESTADO DA PARAÍBA

The physical and chemical quality, sensory and toxicological cachaça is associated with technology and the hygiene precautions during the process. Fermentation is one of the main stages of cachaça production and should be highlighted by the potential influence on the quality of the final product. In this work, the objective was to evaluate the conditions of fermentation processes of producing cachaça companies in the state of Paraíba. 30 companies were visited, when it was applied semi-structured questionnaire with questions related to the management of the company, to facilities and operating procedures. The issues identified were of the room open fermentation and uncoated on the walls and floors, wooden vats of use and lack of control of fermentation. Companies that problems are minority and act only on the local market. Most visited companies have structures and operational procedures appropriate to the quality of cachaça production and work in state and national market. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: bebida alcoólica; higiene; produção de cachaça; qualidade.