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Characterization of whey cheese packaged under vacuum
1Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal.
Journal of Food Protection
|March 4, 2000
Summary
Vacuum packaging preserves Requeijão whey cheese quality by inhibiting spoilage microbes and preventing water loss. This method enhances the safety and texture of this traditional Portuguese dairy product.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Microbiology
- Dairy Technology
Background:
- Requeijão is a traditional Portuguese whey cheese.
- Understanding preservation methods is crucial for maintaining its quality and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of vacuum packaging in preserving Requeijão.
- To compare vacuum-packaged Requeijão with unpackaged samples microbiologically and physicochemically.
Main Methods:
- Vacuum packaging of Requeijão at 4°C.
- Microbiological analysis (viable counts of various bacteria, yeasts).
- Physicochemical analysis (acidification, lactose depletion, moisture, texture, lipolysis, fatty acid profiles).
Main Results:
- Vacuum packaging inhibited yeasts, staphylococci, enterococci, and spore-forming clostridia.
- Packaged cheese showed substantial acidification and slight lactose depletion, with stable moisture and texture.
- Unpackaged cheese lost water and became more rigid; vacuum packaging inhibited lipolysis.
Conclusions:
- Vacuum packaging is effective in preserving Requeijão whey cheese quality.
- This method improves the safety and physicochemical properties of Requeijão.
- Findings are applicable to other whey cheeses globally, including Ricotta and Greek Anthotyro.