Microbiological characterization of protected designation of origin Azeito cheese

Azeitão is an appreciated Portuguese protected designation of origin (PDO) cheese produced following artisanal procedures using ovine raw milk, Cynara cardunculus L. flower and salt. Although its origins trace back to the early 1800s, limited research regarding the characterization of its microbiota is available. So, this work aimed to perform a microbiological characterization of Azeitão PDO cheeses and raw materials obtained from a certified producer throughout the 2020/2021 production...