Soro-fermento a partir de queijo colonial de leite cru: estudo de caso em queijaria no extremo-oeste catarinense

Abstract

The use of endogenous starter cultures is a traditional practice in artisanal cheese production, being associated with product typicity and microbiological identity. Among these, whey starter, obtained from the whey of previous cheese production and used as an inoculum in subsequent batches, stands out. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of whey starter on the production of artisanal Colonial cheese made from raw milk. Samples of water, raw milk, and whey starter were collected in two distinct periods (January and May 2025). Based on the whey starter obtained in May, Colonial cheeses were produced with whey starter (QCF) and without whey starter (QSF), and evaluated at 0, 20, 40, and 60 days of ripening for physicochemical, microbiological, color, and texture parameters. Water and raw milk met the current legal standards. The whey starter obtained in January showed appropriate acidification and a predominance of lactic acid bacteria, whereas the whey starter obtained in May exhibited low acidification capacity and high counts of total coliforms and Escherichia coli. During ripening, QCF and QSF cheeses showed similar behavior regarding moisture, water activity, pH, acidity, color, texture, and lactic acid bacteria counts. However, high levels of hygienic indicator microorganisms were observed in both cheeses, including E. coli counts above regulatory limits, with greater persistence in cheeses produced with whey starter. It can be concluded that, under the evaluated conditions, the use of whey starter did not provide technological advantages compared to production without starter culture, and its microbiological quality is critical for process safety, potentially acting as a source of undesirable microorganisms when improperly obtained or handled.