Physicochemical, Microbiological, Proximate, and Consumer Characterization of Traditional Tenate Cheese in Two Mexican Regions

Tenate cheese is a traditional Mexican pressed semi-hard cheese made from raw cow’s milk and wrapped in palm fiber. The characterization of this cheese remains scarce. This study presents an exploratory characterization of a single production batch of traditional Tenate cheese obtained from one artisanal producer, providing preliminary information on its physicochemical, microbiological, and proximate analyses, combined with consumer evaluation. The latter was analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) as an exploratory segmentation tool. Tenate cheese was characterized as a semi-hard cheese with active lactic fermentation, a lactic aroma, acidic and umami flavors, and a firm, granular texture. Microbiological analyses showed the absence of coliforms, enterobacteria, and Staphylococcus aureus among the microorganisms evaluated, whereas yeast counts exceeded the regulatory limit. As major foodborne pathogens were not included in the microbiological assessment, the overall microbiological safety of the product could not be confirmed. A total of 318 consumers from Aguascalientes (AGS, n = 149) and the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (GMA, n = 169) evaluated the product using hedonic and Just-About-Right scales. Consumers from AGS reported significantly higher liking scores than those from GMA. Penalty analysis identified insufficient softness as the main attribute associated with lower liking in AGS, whereas low flavor intensity and weak aftertaste reduced acceptance in GMA. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) identified three consumer segments in each location, revealing distinct preference patterns linked to regional expectations. The main contributions of this study are threefold. First, it contributes to the limited scientific knowledge available on Tenate cheese by providing a comprehensive characterization of the analyzed sample. Second, it shows that consumer acceptance differed between two regional markets, comparing two university-affiliated consumer groups, highlighting the value of consumer segmentation for product positioning. Third, it proposes and applies an integrated framework combining physicochemical, microbiological, nutritional, sensory, and consumer segmentation analyses that can be applied to the study of other artisanal cheeses.