“Turrialba cheese” is a Costa Rican fresh cheese highly appreciated due to its sensory characteristics and artisanal production. As a ready-to-eat dairy product, its formulation could support Listeria monocytogenes growth. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 14.06% of the samples and the pathogen was able to grow under all tested conditions. Due to the increasing demand for low-salt products, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of salt concentration on the growth of pathogen isolates obtained from local cheese. Products from retail outlets in Costa Rica were analyzed for L. monocytogenes. These isolates were used to determine growth at 4 °C for different salt concentration (0.5–5.2%). Kinetic curves were built and primary and secondary models developed. Finally, a validation study was performed using literature data. The R² and Standard Error of fit of primary models were ranked from 0.964–0.993, and 0.197–0.443, respectively. An inverse relationship was observed between growth rate and salt concentration. A secondary model was obtained, with R² = 0.962. The model was validated, and all values were B_f > 1, thus providing fail-safe estimations. These data were added to the free and easy-to-use predictive microbiology software “microHibro” which is used by food producers and regulators to assist in decision-making.

Introduction. The production of regional food with local and cultural identity has become an attractive business for small-scale producers because it allows them to market their products highlighting local ingredients and traditional processing that reflects the know-how of each region. One example is Pasta filata cheese. Objective. To identify sensory characteristics and level of liking for Costa Rican Pasta filata cheeses (Palmito cheese). Materials and methods. The project was carried out at the facilities of the University of Costa Rica, during 2015. Nineteen samples of Costa Rican Palmito cheese were used, with fourteen of them being produced by artisanal producers and five by industrial producers. The methodology of Generic Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) was followed, with ten trained judges defining twenty-one attributes. Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were conducted to relate the samples to their attributes. Acceptance testing was performed with one hundred consumers. Consumer AHC and external preference mapping were applied to correlate the results of the liking with those of the QDA. Results. Significant differences (p<0,05) among samples were obtained in the QDA for all attributes. The samples were grouped into three clusters based on similarity attributes. The PCA showed one group, primarily consisting of traditional cheeses, clustered by attributes such as acid and salty flavor, firmness, moisture, and stringy appearance. Another group, corresponding to refrigerated, pasteurized, and unpasteurized cheeses, had a higher intensity of yellow color, greasy texture, softness, and less stringy appearance. A final group, composed of one sample, had a lettuce flavor. Conclusion. Through the external preference mapping, it was concluded that consumers like the majority of industrial Palmito cheeses, but they prefer traditional ones with characteristics such as stringy and creamy flavor.

Introduction. Understanding consumer behavior in the dairy sector is essential for enhancing competitiveness and defining strategies to meet their requirements and needs. Reviewing scientific information and patents allows for the identification of trends in the addition of functional compounds to dairy products, serving as a critical input for innovation in the food industry. Objective. To identify and analyze trends in the incorporation of functional compounds in dairy products by integrating perspectives from scientific articles and patent analyses. Development. Reviews of both sources revelated a greater application of functional ingredients in yogurt, which opens opportunities for implementation and research in other fermented products such as skyr. Scientific articles indicates an increasing focus on incorporating functional ingredients from unconventional sources into yogurt, ice cream, and cheese. Notable trends include the addition of antioxidants, and proteins, fat reduction, and the substitution of additives. Patents show a tendency toward the incorporation of nutrients, with protein addition being a recurring feature, as well as the inclusion of probiotics, minerals, and antioxidants. Another frequent trend in patents is the optimization of production processes to achieve clean labeling and improve sensory characteristics. The development of dairy products for specific populations is an emerging trend evidenced in the documented strategies. Conclusions. Key trends identified in the dairy industry include an emphasis on fermented products such as yogurt, improved production efficiency, and the addition of functional nutrients aligned with consumer requirements. Both sources highlighted the addition of proteins and antioxidants. An emerging trend identified in the analysis is personalized nutrition, which focuses on using functional nutrients tailored to specific populations groups.

Introduction. Worldwide, bovine dairy products are prevalent, so there is a need for studies focused on less traditional milk, such as goat milk. Objective. To evaluate the effect of two levels of inclusion of amaretto on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of a goat milk caramel. Materials and methods. Between January and September 2017, at the Universidad de Costa Rica, milk caramels were made with two proportions (6 % and 9 %) of amaretto, which were selected using two focus groups, pH, Brix degrees, aw, texture, color, and sensory liking were evaluated. Results. The milk caramels with inclusion of 6 % and 9 % amaretto obtained the following characteristics respectively: 71.8 and 70.8 ºBrix, pH= 6.8 and 6.9, aw=0.8, hardness= 1.3 and 0.3, adhesiveness= 0.75 and 6.0, elasticity= 23.0 and 21.0, L*= 33.0 and 33.4, a*= 11.3 and 11.4, b*= 26.2, c*= 28.5 and 28.6, h*= 66.7 and 66.4, with an average liking of 7.3 and 7.7, and an average purchase intention of 6.9 and 7.2. The cluster analysis generated three groups of people: G1 = 25.5% with a mean liking of 4.7 and 6.2 for the 6 % and 9 % formulations, respectively; G2 = 19.6% with a mean liking of 8.5 and 5.5 for the 6 % and 9 % formulations, respectively; and G3 = 54.9% with a mean liking of 8.2 and 9.1 for the 6 % and 9 % formulations, respectively. Conclusions. The inclusion of amaretto in the goat milk caramel turned out to be the product with the best profile. No significant differences were observed between the two liquor inclusion levels. The results suggest that both products had appropriate technical characteristics and taste.

Introduction. Bovine milk whey is a source of nutrients, so its use would benefit the consumer and help reduce the environmental impact of discarding it. In Costa Rica, most of it is destined as animal feed or disposed in rivers and soils. It is necessary to develop sustainable alternatives for its use. Objective. To evaluate the effect of serum protein incorporation on the physical characteristics, amino acid content, and storage behavior of yogurt with whey protein. Materials and methods. The study was developed at the facilities of the Universidad de Costa Rica, during 2011-2015. The whey was acidified to a pH of 4.8, heated to 90 ºC and kept at rest for 90 min to achieve protein precipitation. Two samples of low-fat whipped yogurt were developed, one control and one with protein extracted from sweet whey. Viscosity, syneresis, pH, macronutrient, total and free amino acids were determined for both yogurts. The behavior of the yogurt with added protein and the overall palatability were evaluated during twenty-four days of storage were evaluated by sensory analysis. Results. A yogurt with added protein showed no significant differences, in comparison with control yogurt, for pH, syneresis, macronutrients, free amino acids, total amino acids (with exception for threonine), syneresis – storage time interaction and general pleasantness during storage. Conclusion. The nutritional quality and functionality of yogurt with added protein was maintained with respect to the control, which would allow the incorporation of whey protein with a feasible methodology on an artisanal scale.