Mild Heat Treatment and Biopreservatives for Artisanal Raw Milk Cheeses: Reducing Microbial Spoilage and Extending Shelf-Life through Thermisation, Plant Extracts and Lactic Acid Bacteria

Abstract

The microbial quality of raw milk artisanal cheeses is not always guaranteed due to the possible presence of pathogens in raw milk that can survive during manufacture and maturation. In this work, an overview of the existing information concerning lactic acid bacteria and plant extracts as antimicrobial agents is provided, as well as thermisation as a strategy to avoid pasteurisation and its negative impact on the sensory characteristics of artisanal cheeses. The mechanisms of antimicrobial action, advantages, limitations and, when applicable, relevant commercial applications are discussed. Plant extracts and lactic acid bacteria appear to be effective approaches to reduce microbial contamination in artisanal raw milk cheeses as a result of their constituents (for example, phenolic compounds in plant extracts), production of antimicrobial substances (such as organic acids and bacteriocins, in the case of lactic acid bacteria), or other mechanisms and their combinations. Thermisation was also confirmed as an effective heat inactivation strategy, causing the impairment of cellular structures and functions. This review also provides insight into the potential constraints of each of the approaches, hence pointing towards the direction of future research.

Emerging Technologies for Improving Properties, Shelf Life, and Analysis of Dairy Products

“…The addition of plants or substances of plant origin, especially spices, to the cheese mass is an old artisanal practice for the extension of shelf life and the enhancement of flavour, which is constantly updated (e.g., [31,32]). In particular, soft spreadable cheese varieties can be an appropriate "substrate" for such interventions due to their texture and high moisture content.…”

Technological potential of native lactic acid bacteria isolated from Swiss-type artisanal cheese (Ancash, Peru) for their application in food

“…Overuse of antibiotics makes pathogenic bacteria more resistant, causing the search for new LAB strains that can inhibit these pathogens (Miao et al, 2016) and be used in the production of new foods, especially cheese (Abosereh et al, 2016) and extend their shelf life (Silva et al, 2023).…”