Comparación de los cambios químicos y microbiológicos en la maduración del queso Colonia salado tradicionalmente y por impregnación al vacío

Abstract

“Colonia” type cheese is a typical Uruguayan cheese, elaborated following the quality standards and cheese making tradition brought by Swiss immigrants settled down at the Uruguayan department of Colonia. Its study and outreach provide knowledge to the diffusion of a process wich does not present a protected designation of origin. The aim of the study was to analize if the vacuum impregnation technology affects Colonia cheese ripening process compared with the traditional salting methods. Chemical, microbiological and sensory changes during ripening after both, SIV and traditional salting methods, were analized in this study. Chemical changes refer to moisture, sodium chloride concentration and rate of ripening. The microbiological changes were focused onto bacteria growing and identifi cation of Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp diacetylactis, Leuconostoc subsp mesenteroides and Propionic bacteria. Sensory attributes linked to texture, taste and fl avor, as much as external and internal appearances were evaluated. The selected operating conditions of the vacuum impregnation process allowed the income ingress of salt to the cheese in half traditional process time. Under these conditions, no differences in chemical and microbiological parameters studied were appreciated. There were no sensory differences in fl avor, texture and the outward appearance but certain differences in the size and distribution of the eyes were found.