AVALIAÇÃO DA QUALIDADE DO LEITE PASTEURIZADO COMERCIALIZADO NO MUNICÍPIO DE VARGINHA: análises físico-químicas e microbiológicas

Abstract

Milk and its derivatives are among the most consumed foodstuffs in the world. Highly nutritious, milk is a perishable product that is easily contaminated and adulterated. With this in mind, the objective of this work was to use an everyday product and analyze its physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. Samples of type B and C pasteurized milk produced in some cities in the south of Minas Gerais and sold in the municipality of Varginha-MG were used. The milk samples were submitted to the following physical-chemical and microbiological analyses, which are present in the routine of a dairy and which are easy to carry out in laboratories: acidity. pH, density, fat content, total dry extract, cryoscopy and total coliforms. In the physicochemical analysis of the milk samples, small changes were found and most of the samples analyzed were within the required standards, indicating a normal milk for the population's consumption. The analyzes of total coliforms performed using the most probable number method showed that some samples had a count above the value allowed by current legislation. Despite the latest developments involving adulteration and contamination of milk in Minas Gerais, this work demonstrated that most of the samples analyzed were in accordance with the standards required by law.