Detection of Mycobacterium spp. in Coalho cheese commercialized in the city of Caicó-RN, Brazil.

Artisanal Coalho cheese is a popular dairy product, widely consumed in the Northeast region of Brazil, and is produced with raw or pasteurized milk. Microbial contamination of cheeses has very important consequences, both for the dairy industry, given the potential economic losses, and for public health, due to the risk of outbreaks of foodborne diseases. The present study aimed to detect Mycobaterium spp. in Coalho cheese commercialized in the city of Caicó-RN Brazil, using bacterial culture and molecular diagnosis. 50 samples of Coalho cheese obtained from local street market were analyzed, 35 of which were made from raw milk (artesanal cheese) and 15 with pasteurized milk (industrialized cheese)