Microbiological and Sensory Quality of Artisanal Sour Cream

Following hygiene standards in milk production is essential for making high-quality sour cream, especially when using traditional methods that rely on raw milk. The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory quality of artisanal sour cream samples collected from major marketplaces in the wider Zagreb area. On average, the samples contained 27.99% milk fat, 3.30% protein, 34.29% dry matter, 6.51% fat-free dry matter and 3.00% lactose, with considerable variability observed across all components. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in 35.30% of the samples, Enterobacteriaceae in 76.47%, Escherichia coli in 94.11%, Bacillus spp. in 23.53%, and yeasts in 100% of the samples. Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. were not detected. The sensory analysis of the textural properties showed significant variability in firmness, adhesiveness, viscosity, creaminess, and fizziness. Samples with higher milk fat and dry matter content were rated better for creaminess, viscosity and mouth firmness. Flavour assessments, particularly for cream and diacetyl notes, also varied widely among samples. These findings highlight the complexity of sour cream’s sensory attributes and the significant influence of ingredient composition and processing techniques on appearance, aroma, texture, taste, and flavour. Principal component analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation simplified the data structure and identified key dimensions of quality variation. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first principal component (PC1) effectively discriminated the cream samples based on sensory attractiveness and indicators of spoilage and highlighted the association between off-flavour and microbial contamination with inferior characteristics. The second principal component (PC2) captured the differences in physicochemical characteristics and showed a gradient from richer, creamier samples with higher fat content to those with lower acidity and higher freshness.