Influence of lactic acid bacteria on survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in inoculated Minas cheese during storage at 8.5°C

Abstract

Minas cheese is a typical Brazilian fresh cheese, manufactured by addition of rennin and CaCl2 to milk, followed by draining the curd. The intrinsic characteristics of this product make it favorable for growth of pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7. The influence of the addition of a commercial mesophilic type O lactic culture to this product on the growth of this pathogen during storage at 8.5°C was evaluated. Eight different formulations of Minas cheese were manufactured using raw or pasteurized milk and with or without salt and lactic culture. Individual portions of each formulation were transferred to sterile plastic bags and inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 to yield ca. 103 or 106 CFU/g. After blending by hand massaging the bags, samples were stored at 8.5°C for up to 14 days. E. coli O157:H7 was counted after 1, 2, 7, and 14 days of storage using 3M Petrifilm Test Kit-HEC. Counts in samples without added lactic culture showed a 2-log increase in the first 24 h and remained constant during the following 14 days. Counts in samples with added lactic culture showed a 0.5-log increase in the first 24 h, followed by a decrease. These variations were statistically significant (P < 0.05). No significant variations (P > 0.05) were obtained for cheese samples manufactured with pasteurized or raw milk, with or without salt. Results indicate that the addition of type O lactic culture may be an additional safeguard to well-established good manufacturing practices and hazard analysis and critical control point programs in the control of growth of E. coli O157:H7 in Minas cheese.