The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of vacuum packaging and storage time on physicochemical composition, fatty acid content, color, microbiological content and rheological behavior of artisanal fresh goat cheese during refrigerated storage. The results show that both vacuum packaging and storage time had an influence on moisture content, color variation and rind formation, obtaining better visual appearance and higher moisture content in vacuum packed cheeses. The packaging also positively influenced the rheological study, observing that the vacuum packed cheeses at the end of the study exhibited a behavior similar to that of the cheeses at time 0. Vacuum packaging of artisanal goat cheeses represents the possibility of preserving the cheeses for a longer time and thus increasing their shelf life. On the other hand, the decrease in moisture loss also represents an economic benefit for producers.

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This work aimed to quantify and relate goat milk production and the Normalized Difference of Vegetation Index of the semiarid Chaco forest and the monthly average precipitation along the 2016-2018 period. The work was carried out in El Polear, in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Even though the NDVI of the forest and its lower strata biomass productivity were affected by drought, its milk production curve remained unaffected. This may be due to the forest stability resulting from the deep rooted trees that includes, to the strategic displacement of the phenophase in its lower strata (broadleaves, herbaceous) in drought seasons and the adaptation to the changes in the goat diet selectivity before forage fluctuations. Winter NDVI peaks should be considered for new lines of research on their contribution to the energetic reserves of the goat component at the beginning of winter. Significant straight relationships (p<0.05) were found between the average goat milk production and the average monthly precipitation (r=0.64) as well as the NDVI and the semiarid Chaco forest (r=0.59). The resulting linear models involving goat milk production with both precipitation and NDVI had moderate and significant (p<0.05) explaining power (R2=0.41) and (R2=0.35), respectively. These models make the seasonal goat milk production predictable and the planning and the making decision process of both producers and the agroindustry easier.

La agricultura familiar está vinculada de manera indisociable a la seguridad alimentaria. La cultura e idiosincrasia de los productores rurales exigen que se establezca una relación personal donde vean respetadas sus prácticas. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el impacto del trabajo participativo en el diagnóstico y diseño de innovaciones en dos sistemas de producción familiar en la provincia de Santiago del Estero-Argentina. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el período 2015-2018; durante los primeros dos años se realizaron encuentros quincenales y en el último año una visita por mes. Durante estos encuentros se realizaron visitas al predio y entrevistas semiestructuradas, diseñadas para identificar falencias y fortalezas del sistema. Resultados en el productor 1: Está eliminando las cabras viejas e improductivas; ha construido un comedero de bajo costo; ha logrado disminuir significativamente la presencia de mastitis mejorando la rutina de ordeñe y ha incorporado equipamiento específico para mejoramiento de la calidad de quesos. Resultados en el productor 2: Construyó una sala de faena; ha incorporado en el proceso de faena la espera, ayuno e insensibilización; ha logrado incrementar la producción en un 375% y la ha escalonado a fin de evitar baches productivos. El trabajo participativo realizado, respetando la cultura y prácticas de los productores involucrados permitió el diseño, puesta en práctica y seguimiento de innovaciones para corregir las falencias detectadas y éstas han sido mantenidas en el tiempo.