https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2022.10162

Late blowing defect in Grottone cheese: detection of clostridia and control strategies

Vol. 11 No. 2 (2022)
Submitted: 1 October 2021
Accepted: 30 March 2022
Published: 27 June 2022
Grottone cheese, Late blowing defect, Clostridium spp., Antimicrobial compounds
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Authors

Maria Francesca Peruzy
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Giuseppe Blaiotta
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Maria Aponte
aponte@unina.it
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Maria De Sena
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Nicoletta Murru
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, and Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.

“Grottone” is a pasta filata hard cheese produced in Campania region from cow’s milk and characterized by holes formation due to CO2 development by Propionic Acid Bacteria. The contamination of raw milk with butyric acid-producing spore-forming clostridia represent a major concern for cheese producers since clostridia outgrowth may lead to the cheese late blowing defect during ripening. Detection of clostridial endospores in milk before processing and the use of antimicrobial compounds may represent an important control strategy. The present study is aimed to point out the most suitable procedure for the determination of clostridial spores in dairy samples, and to assess the inhibitory activity of several antimicrobial compounds against Cl. sporogenes. Based on results, MPN counts on Bryant and Burkey medium and CFU on RCM proved to be the most suitable protocols for routine testing. By using these procedures clostridial spores were detected in 10 out 13 milk samples and in all cheeses with late blowing defect. Within antimicrobial compounds, sodium nitrate is still the best choice for preventing late blowing, nevertheless a protective culture of Lacticaseibacillus casei proved to be a promising alternative. Nevertheless, the use of this protective culture in six Grottone cheese productions carried out at farm level, led to unsatisfactory results. Holes’ development was hampered likely for an inhibition of the PAB starter and the expected ‘Grouviera-type’ taste was not perceived by panellists. Based on results, the use of protective cultures needs to be contextualized and interactions with starters needs to be evaluated case by case.

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How to Cite

1.
Peruzy MF, Blaiotta G, Aponte M, De Sena M, Murru N. Late blowing defect in <em>Grottone</em> cheese: detection of clostridia and control strategies. Ital J Food Safety [Internet]. 2022 Jun. 27 [cited 2024 Nov. 23];11(2). Available from: https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/10162

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