Avaliação da qualidade microbiológica e físico-química do leite UHT integral comercializado no Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the microbiological and physicochemical quality of UHT whole milk commercialized in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, during the winter and spring of 2009. Four samples of 10 marketed marks were collected in each period. Of these, two of each mark was destined for microbiological analyses and the others two for physicochemical analyses. For the microbiological analyses, the samples were incubated in their original packages at 36±1ºC for 7 days before the analyses were carried out. These analyses, that were carried out in duplicate, were: Most likely number of coliforms at 35˚C and 45˚C; moulds and leavenings count; staphylococcus coagulase positive count; Salmonella research; viable strict and facultative aerobic mesophyle microorganisms standard count; viable aerobic mesophyle microorganisms capable of causing alteration in UHT liquid lactic products count; Bacillus sporothermodurans presence; total aerobic thermophyle and Flat-Sour spore count, that evidences the presence of Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus coagulans. The physicochemical analyses, carried out in triplicates were: fat, acidity, non fat dry extract, protein, density, cryoscopy and fatty acids profile. The results were analyzed using the SPSS program, version 13.0. For the microbiological analyses, the averages and the mean deviations were obtained. The physicochemical analyses were submitted to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the differences were analyzed by the Tukey test with a level of 5% of probability. The ten marks of UHT whole milk analyzed were within the standard microbiological values in effect for the microorganisms that were analyzed. The physicochemical parameter were evaluated partially attended the specifications of the Technical Regulation of Identity and Quality of UHT Milk in relation to that in disagreement 60% in winter and 80% in spring. A prevalence of miristic, palmitic, stearic and oleic fatty acids was observed with significant differences between the marks. It can be concluded that, although some physicochemical parameters were not in accordance with the standards of identity and quality, the ten UHT whole milk commercialized in the State of Rio Grande do Sul attends the specifications related to the microbiological quality, indicating that it is a safe product from the sanitary point of view.