Biogenic amine content and microbiological profile of Pecorino di Farindola cheese

“Pecorino di Farindola” is a traditional ewes’ milk cheese produced in the Abruzzo region (Italy) andripened for a minimum of 90 days. The main objective of this research was to characterize the micro-biological and chemical composition of this cheese, manufactured in ten dairy farms during the wintercheese-making season (December through March). By using classical enumeration system on speci fi cmedia variability was observed in the viable numbers of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, enterobacteria,coagulase-negative staphylococci, yeasts, enterococci, mesophilic and thermophilic lactobacilli, lacto-cocci and thermophilic streptococci. Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7resulted to be absent in all the samples. Among compounds possibly impacting on human health, theisomer cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), was determined in high levels in all samples,ranging from 9.2 to 12.7 mg/g fat. Great diversity was also found in biogenic amine contents witha relevant presence of tyramine in all the cheeses. This work represents the fi rst study on Pecorino diFarindola cheese and could contribute to deepen the knowledge on its microbiological and biochemicalfeatures, focusing on hygiene and consumer health aspects.[...