Artisanal cheese of Minas Gerais, not all are AMC: a brief review

Abstract

The artisanal Minas cheese (AMC) is a product widely produced and consumed throughout the state of Minas Gerais, with the regions of Araxá, Campo das Vertentes, Canastra, Cerrado, Ibitipoca, Serra do Salitre, Serro, Triângulo considered as the eight traditional regions of artisanal Minas cheese. With the publication of the Law 23,157, of December 18, 2018, related to the production and sale of artisanal cheeses in Minas Gerais, other artisanal cheese varieties could also be recognized and regularized, in addition to the AMC. Among the varieties of artisanal cheeses of Minas Gerais (ACM), which are not AMC, are: artisanal cheese from Alagoa, artisanal Mantiqueira de Minas cheese, Cabacinha cheese, artisanal cheese from Vale do Suaçuí, artisanal cheese from Serra Geral, and also the artisanal processed cheese, known as requeijão Moreno. While the AMC must follow a standard manufacturing technology in all regions where it is produced, other artisanal cheeses made in Minas Gerais have some particularities, such as heating and cooking the curd, melting, or stretching, among other steps that are not allowed in the AMC. In short, artisanal cheeses of Minas Gerais include artisanal Minas cheeses (AMC) and artisanal cheeses that have specific manufacturing technology only for their variety. The artisanal cheeses of Minas Gerais are part of history and culture of the state, however they have not yet been extensively studied, so there are not many scientific publications about their characteristics and how these cheeses are made. In this context, this review aimed to study the literature to elucidate the main characteristics of artisanal cheeses of Minas Gerais that do not fit the AMC classification, as well as their production regions and manufacturing technologies.