Physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of Italian salami made of lamb and enriched with pequi (Caryocar brasiliense, Cambess)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the inclusion of different levels of pequi (Caryocar Brasiliense, Cambess) pulp in the processing of Italian salami made of lamb for the evaluation of their physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. Six formulations of Italian salamis were processed: no pequi pulp (control - treatment 1); 4% pequi pulp (treatment 2); 8% pequi pulp (treatment 3), 12% pequi pulp (Treatment 4), 16% pequi pulp (treatment 5) and 20% pequi pulp (treatment 6). During the maturation period, all Italian salamis made of lamb enriched with pequi presented similar behaviors; and acidity (pH) and water activity (aw) results showed stable end values. For protein, the Italian salami made of lamb without pequi pump presented a higher content. For one of the lowest contents of fat, treatment 3 showed the highest content of humidity. The contents of fat and ashes did not present any significant difference when comparing the Italian salami formulations. A color tending to dark, yellowish and reddish shades was observed in the Italian salamis made of lamb and enriched with pequi. All Italian salamis were microbiologically satisfactory, showing ideal sanitary conditions for consumption. Pequi is a typical fruit from the Brazilian cerrado region, with characteristic color, odor and flavor, and it is an option for inclusion in Italian salamis, but additional studies should be conducted to inspect the sensory acceptability of these products.Keywords: Cerrado fruit, fermented stuffed meat sausages, physicochemical parameters, microbiological parameters

Physico-chemical and rheological properties of prato cheese during ripening

The influence of storage temperature (6, 12 and 18°C) on texture parameters of Prato cheese were evaluated during 22 days of ripening. A reduction of firmness, gumminess and elasticity was observed; however, cohesiveness and adhesiveness increased. With the increasing temperature, firmness and gumminess reduced, whereas the elasticity, cohesiveness and adhesiveness did not change. It can be concluded that storage temperature influences the texture profile of Prato cheese which present differences in the evaluated parameters during 22 days of ripening.Keywords: Cheese ripening, hard cheese, colour, texture profile analysis