Milk quality, production process and physicochemical characteristics of Porungo, an artisanal cheese from the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Porungo is a traditional pasta filata cheese produced using raw milk throughout the southwest region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The objectives of this Research Communication were to evaluate the quality of raw milk used to make Porungo cheese, to characterize its production process, and to determine its chemical composition. The results showed that the raw milk met both Brazilian and international quality requirements. Chemically, Porungo can be classified as a medium to full fat semi-hard fresh cheese. Our study has allowed the first standards and regulations for Porungo to be established in Brazil. By virtue of this, the local producers are able to formalize their activity while consumers can have access to a safe and certified product.