Résumé:
This study investigated the physicochemical and microbiological status of three
cheese types the most consumed in Guelma City which are cottage cheese (CC), analogue
cheese (AC), and pasteurized processed cheese (PPC), by determining the chemical
composition (moisture, ash, and fat), the physicochemical properties (pH and acidity), and
the microbiological quality (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and lactic
acid bacteria (LAB)). The results showed that the CC had the highest moisture content and
the lowest ash and fat contents compared with those of PPC and AC samples. The pH values
of CC and AC samples were similar and they were higher than those of PPC, while the
acidity of CC was higher than those of PPC and AC samples which were equal. The
microbiological testing showed that all the samples were safe and of high quality in terms of
Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella determination, LAB was not
detected in the AC sample, however, in the case of the CC sample presented a higher load
in comparison with the PPC sample
