"Pecorino di Farindola" is a traditional ewes' milk cheese produced in the Abruzzo
region (Italy) and ripened for a minimum of 90 days. The main objective of this
research was to characterize the microbiological and chemical composition of this
cheese, manufactured in ten dairy farms during the winter cheese-making season
December through March). By using classical enumeration system on specific media
variability was observed in the viable numbers of aerobic mesophilic bacteria,
enterobacteria,coagulase-negative staphylococci, yeasts, enterococci, mesophilic
and thermophilic lactobacilli, lactococci and thermophilic streptococci.
Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 resulted
to be absent in all the samples. Among compounds possibly impacting on human
health, the isomer cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), was determined
in high levels in all samples, ranging from 9.2 to 12.7 mg/g fat. Great diversity
was also found in biogenic amine contents with a relevant presence of tyramine in
all the cheeses. This work represents the first study on Pecorino di Farindola
cheese and could contribute to deepen the knowledge on its microbiological and
biochemical features, focusing on hygiene and consumer health aspects.
Source: Food Microbiol. 2011, 28(1): 128-36
See the Histamine Intolerance Food list for concentrations of biogenic amines in
this Pecorino cheese and other food.
