Sanitary conditions of mozzarella and Minas frescal cheese production in northern Paraná, Brazil

The cheese due its rich nutritional composition provides a favorable environment for the multiplication of many kinds of microorganisms. The excess of total and thermotolerant coliforms indicates contamination from environmental and fecal origin, respectively, which characterizes low microbiological quality and unsatisfactory hygienic-sanitary conditions during the cheese production process, besides the possibility of enteropathogens. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hygienic condition of the production of Mozzarella and Minas Frescal cheeses, produced in Northern region of Paraná State, Brazil. Fifty samples were analyzed, of which 14 were of Mozzarella cheese and 36 were of Minas Frescal cheese covering the period from June 2011 to June 2016. The sanitary conditions of production were evaluated by counting the total and thermotolerant coliforms according to the methodology recommended by the Brazilian legislation. For the Mozzarella cheese, it was observed that all the samples presented counts according to the recommended standards for total and thermotolerant coliforms. However, it was observed that 55.6% of the Minas Frescal cheese samples were in disagreement with the standards established by the legislation for total coliforms, as well as 27.8% for thermotolerant coliforms. These results indicate that a considerable part of the Minas Frescal cheeses present unsatisfactory hygienic conditions during the stages of production, increasing consumer health risk. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt good practices of manufacturing, take corrective actions to fix the contamination problem and compliance with microbiological quality standards established and microbiological safety assurance.