Robiola cheese from Roccaverano goats. Microorganisms and territory.

摘要

Robiola cheese is the only Italian cheese made from 100% of goat milk (obtained from Roccaverano goats), and was awarded a denomination of origin certificate in 1975 and a denomination of protected origin certificate in 1996. This cheese is made from raw milk in the mountainous area of Langhe, where 673 Roccaverano goats in 53 flocks are located. In recent years some small-scale producers of the cheese have abandoned production due to new hygiene regulations, although others have taken advantage of financial support available for the modernisation of their buildings and cheesemaking equipment, and some producers have been using milk from Saanen and Camosciata delle Alpi goats in order to increase production. A study on the microbial characters of this cheese, carried out at the University of Piedmont in collaboration with the University of Turin, revealed that the current method of cheesemaking, using pasteurised milk and efficient voluntary quality checks has ensured adequate production conditions..