Listeria monocytogenes survival during production and storage of water buffalo Mozzarella cheese

The ability of Listeria monocytogenes to survive during the manufacture of water buffalo Mozzarella and to grow during its shelf life was evaluated. A wild‐type and a reference strain were used to contaminate raw milk. The viable count of the reference strain ATCC 9525 dropped after the stretching process, and in the cheese, it fell to below 100 cfu/g. When the wild‐type strain was used, however, stretching did not appear to have any effect on the pathogen. The artificially contaminated cheeses were stored, for eleven days, at 4, 20 and 30 °C. Pathogen populations increased at 20 (≈2.60 log cfu/g) and 30 °C (≈1.95 log cfu/g).

Source: International Journal of Dairy Technology - August 1, 2017 Category: Nutrition Authors: Nicoletta Murru, Maria Francesca Peruzy, Esterina De Carlo, Raffaelina Mercogliano, Maria Aponte, Carmelo Morena, Giovanna Serluca, Pasquale Fraulo Tags: Original Research Source Type: research