Browsing by Author "Santos, Maria Teresa P. G. dos"
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- Research project Serpaflora: valorization of native microbiota of the Serpa cheesePublication . Santos, Maria Teresa P. G. dos; Serol, Paulo; Pintado, Maria M.; Araújo-Rodrigues, Helena; Louro, Pedro; Alvarenga, NunoSerpa is a Protected Designation of Origin cheese, as provided for in Regulation (EEC) 2081/92 of the European Commission, as such, it must be manufactured in the defined geographic area. Serpa traditional manufacturing process maintained through the ages in region, requires the use of raw ewe`s milk and vegetable coagulant based on dried flowers of Cynara cardunculus L., without any commercial starter, which emphasizes the role of the selected autochthonous microbiota. Its proliferation and qualitative composition will play a key role in creating the specific sensorial profile, general quality and safety. This microflora comes mainly from raw milk, but also from the whole surrounding environment. Under these conditions, the autochthonous microbiota may reflect its authenticity. The dependence of raw milk determines a great heterogeneity of the final characteristics, difficult to control by the cheesemaker in case of milk of inferior microbiological quality. In addition, from the point of view of food safety, the consumption of raw milk cheeses products causes some suspicions making the acceptance by some markets difficult. The aim of this project is to develop a clear understanding on the microbiome of the Serpa cheese and relate this factor with cheese quality. The specific objectives of this proposal are summarized as follows: (i) To characterize the Serpa cheese microbiome using culturedependent techniques and high-throughput DNA sequencing (HTS); (ii) To correlate the cheese microbial profile with the chemical, biochemical, rheological and sensorial attributes, in order to establish dominant autochthonous strains in high quality cheeses; (iii) To select appropriate strains based on food safety, probiotic nature, technological aptitude, and behaviour in laboratory cheese models; (iv) To develop starter cultures, single or multiple strains, and evaluate their effectiveness at the laboratory and pilot scales; (v) To establish novel technologies for the preservation and commercial presentation of innovative starter cultures.
- A review on microbiological and technological aspects of Serpa PDO cheese: an ovine raw milk cheesePublication . Araújo-Rodrigues, Helena; Tavaria, Freni K.; Santos, Maria Teresa P. G. dos; Alvarenga, Nuno; Pintado, Maria M.Serpa is a PDO cheese considered one of most popular and relevant traditional Portuguese cheeses due to its unique aroma and flavour, which are very much-appreciated characteristics. The special and recognised sensorial attributes of Serpa cheese are a result of the ingredients used, coupled with the manufacturing process, specifically raw ovine milk and extracts of Cynara cardunculus L. as coagulant, without addition of any starter culture or milk pasteurisation. Serpa quality and safety issues, linked to the high susceptibility and heterogeneity of its final sensorial attributes fosters the importance of large-scale studies focused on biochemical and microbial aspects. Despite the scientific relevance of this traditional product, Serpa studies are still very scarce and limited with the cheesemaking procedure lacking in regulation. Accordingly, the present work emphasises the current knowledge on Serpa PDO cheese, giving an overview and critical analysis of existing studies and discussing Serpa technological process.
- Technological and protective performance of LAB isolated from Serpa PDO cheese: towards selection and development of an autochthonous starter culturePublication . Araújo-Rodrigues, Helena; Santos, Maria Teresa P. G. dos; Ruiz-Moyano, Santiago; Tavaria, Freni K.; Martins, António P. L.; Alvarenga, Nuno; Pintado, Manuela E.Serpa is an ovine raw milk cheese widely appreciated by the consumers. However, raw milk products may be seen with reservations in terms of safety or technological defects. To overcome that, the addition of an autochthonous starter culture may ensure the cheesemaking process optimization and microbiota dominance. In this work, the technological and protective performance of eleven lactic acid bacteria strains, isolated from Serpa Protected Designation of Origin cheese and reported as generally recognized as safe, were screened. The integration of technological and protective properties studied in the PCA plot, coupled with the proteolytic and lipolytic analysis suggested that Lb. plantarum PL1 and PL4 strains may be the best candidates. These strains showed both proteolytic and lipolytic activities, a good acidification potential, low D-lactic acid production and were well adapted to the salt and temperatures used. PL1 strain also exhibited a higher antimicrobial effect against the pathogenic bacteria studied. Although Lb. paracasei strain showed lower acidification capacity, due to their technological and protective properties, it could be combined with other more acidifying strains. As future work, it is important to establish cheese model systems to complement this screening and implement an autochthonous starter culture.