Yeasts from Canastra cheese production process: Isolation and evaluation of their potential for cheese whey fermentation.

Canastra cheese is a cheese with geographical indication recognized by the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Protection under number IG201002. It is produced in seven municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais in a region called Serra da Canastra. In this work, samples of milk, "pingo" (natural starter), whey and Canastra cheese were collected on a farm in Medeiros-MG/Brazil to evaluate the yeast microbiota and select yeasts for whey fermentation to produce ethanol and volatile aromatic compounds of relevance in the production of cheese.