AUTHENTIC CHEESES: MICROBIOLOGY, STARTERS, AND TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PRODUCTION

The work is dedicated to the varieties, microbiological peculiarities and technological aspects of production of certain types of authentic cheeses. The purpose of work is to determine the microbiological peculiarities of authentic cheeses, to analyze their varieties and microbiota, to define the biotechnological peculiarities of production of certain types of authentic cheeses. Monographic, constructive, causal analysis and logical generalization methods were used.  Cheese is the most popular food product in the world; there are 5,000 varieties of cheese. Although standard cheeses produced on large-scale productions are the most popular and widespread, authentic cheeses are also popular due to their unique organoleptic properties. Many factors influence the unique characteristics of authentic cheeses, the main of which are the quality of milk, its microbiological and chemical composition, and the technological methods used in cheese-making. All authentic cheeses are characterized by the presence of lactic acid bacteria, but the use of untreated milk sometimes leads to the presence of foodborne pathogens in the final product. Certain authentic cheeses have a complex microbiota, which complicates their production and the creation of starter cultures. However, for many cheeses, especially those like feta, there are now technological approaches to production, and most research is aimed at achieving an authentic taste and improving the organoleptic properties of the final product. Analysis of the quantitative and qualitative composition of the fermenting microbiota and the technological features of different types of traditional cheeses makes it possible to determine the composition of new fermenting compositions that are inherent to a particular product and to choose ways to increase the efficiency of cheese production.