Effect of food additives on the quality of criollo cheese during storage

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of food additives on the quality of Criollo cheese during storage. To evaluate its quality, physicochemical, sensory, microbiological, yield and cost analyses were carried out. The results were analyzed under a Tri Factorial design (AxBxC) where A evaluates food additives, B storage conditions and C the days of evaluation with three repetitions. A semi-hard Creole cheese was obtained with a maximum moisture content of 55% according to NTE INEN 1528:2012, the pH reached an average of 5.3 to 6.5 with a hardness of 6.05 to 6.81 N, showing significant differences between treatments. The Creole cheese treated with sodium citrate and stored refrigerated for 15 days presented better sensory characteristics compared to the rest of the treatments, exhibiting a creamy white color, fermented odor and flavor, and a semi-soft texture, while at room temperature it maintained good sensory characteristics until 5 days of storage. The use of food additives under refrigerated conditions allowed extending the shelf life of the Criollo cheese, maintaining acceptable sensory characteristics up to 15 days of evaluation, and with an estimated shelf life of at least 10 more days under optimal conditions. All treatments showed absence of total coliforms and E. coli, making them suitable for consumption. With a yield of 14% and a cost of US$2.50 per pound, Criollo cheese is affordable for consumers.