ADEQUACY OF CREAMY REQUEIJÃO CHEESE TO THE STANDARDS OF IDENTITY AND QUALITY AND THE LABELING STANDARDS

Abstract

The creamy Requeijão cheese is a type of creamy Requeijão cheese, obtained from the fusion of a washed drained curd obtained through acid and /or enzymatic coagulation of milk with the addition of cheese cream and/or butter and/or anhydrous milk fat or butter oil. This study evaluates the adequacy of creamy Requeijão cheeses produced by micro and small companies in the southern region of Minas Gerais, according to the standards of food legislation, to identify possible problems. The chemical composition on the three batches was analyzed, and the results of fat in dry matter and moisture, compared to the requirements of the Technical Regulation for Identification and Quality of Requeijão cheese. The adequacy of the labeling of products according to the provisions in the current Brazilian Legislation on food labeling was also evaluated. It was observed that all creamy Requeijão cheeses analyzed showed irregularities regarding the Technical Regulation for Identification and Quality of Requeijão cheese and the standards for food labeling. Thus it is evident the need for actions to improve the quality of the creamy Requeijão cheeses analyzed and to be in accordance to the legislation.