The effects of low-input grazing systems and milk pasteurisation on the chemical composition, microbial communities, and sensory properties of uncooked pressed cheeses

The objective of this work was to determine whether the effects of farming systems on the cheese sensory properties are reduced when the milk used to make cheese is pasteurised. The milk of cows reared under two grazing systems (extensive and semi-extensive) was processed into raw and pasteurised milk cheeses. These grazing systems were mainly differentiable by the milk fatty acid (FA) composition and, to a lesser extent, by their levels of lactic acid bacteria, which were higher in milk from the extensive grazing system. In cheese, the different FA composition persisted and affected the texture of the cheese regardless of the milk treatment. The effects of each grazing system were indistinguishable in several cheese characteristics (proteolysis, texture, and aroma) after pasteurisation. In contrast, among pasteurised milk cheeses, those resulting from an extensive system had greyer rinds, while no difference in rind colour was observed among raw milk cheeses.