Desenvolvimento de um queijo semiduro condimentado com cravo (Syzygium aromaticum) e cominho (Cuminum cyminum)

Abstract

The consumption of fine cheeses in Brazil grows every year, and as an alternative to add value and improve the sensory profile of these products, spices can be added. Based on this, the present work aimed at Chapter I to elaborate a literature review on semi-hard cheeses. In Chapter II the elaboration of a semi-hard cheese making protocol, varying its dimensions for the study of maturation, in Chapter III the treatment of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum) spices by microwave and in Chapter IV the subsequent application of spices in semi-hard cheese. Microbiological and sensory analyzes were carried on the spices, and after the thermal treatment of 810W power microwave, with a positive effect on decontamination, with mesophilic count decreasing from 6 x 104 to 1 x 10 ³ and molds and yeasts from 2.4 x 106 to 4 x 10³. In addition, the rise in temperature to 94 ° C, achieved during heat treatment, improves the sensory attributes of cumin and does not alter the sensory profile of the clove. For the evaluation of how the cheese dimension affects the maturation and sensory characteristics of the products, physical-chemical, texture, sensory analyzes and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed. The results make it clear that smaller cheeses weighing 450 g have accelerated ripening, reaching proteolysis extension rates of 8.15 g/100g at 60 days of maturity compared to cheese greater than 5 kg with an index of 8.62 g/100g to 90 days; this fact occurs due to the distribution of lactic bacteria, which can be observed by SEM. The sensory evaluation detected that cheeses weighing 2.5 kg, manufactured with LD type culture with 60 days of ripening, with characteristics of producing buttery aromas, obtained better acceptability by consumers (85%), being thus selected for the application of clove and cumin spices. Using experimental planning, the previously treated spices were applied to the 2.5 kg semi-hard cheese. For the characterization, hysical-chemical and sensory methods were applied with consumers and a trained panel using the temporal dominance analysis of sensations. It can be concluded that there was no change in the physical-chemical parameters. Cheeses that were added with cloves and cumin, in the proportion of 0.6% each, had positive sensory changes, improving acceptability and reducing undesirable aromas such as acidic and acidic aftertaste. This work demonstrates that it is possible to decontaminate spices at low cost so that they can be applied in cheeses. In addition, the dimensions of the cheeses have a direct influence on the ripening and, as a consequence, affect the products sensorially, with knowledge of these processes being a differential. The application of spices improves the sensory profile and acceptability of products, being, therefore, an alternative for cheese producers to add value to their products.