Hygienic and physicochemical quality characterisation of artisanal and industrial Pecorino Calabrese cheese

Samples of artisanal and industrial Pecorino Calabrese cheese were collected from 20 dairy farms located in Calabria (Italy) and analysed to evaluate the microscopic and microbiological quality. The number of yeasts and moulds, total coliforms and enterococci was significantly higher in the artisanal cheese. The presence of two samples in both farms exceeding the hygienic limit in terms of Escherichia coli count highlights incorrect hygienic procedures in this kind of production. The filth analysis showed that the amount of solid impurities was significantly higher in the artisanal cheese, while only arthropods were more frequent in the industrial one.