Aerobic Mesophilic and Psychrotrophic Sporeforming Bacteria in Buffalo Milk

Abstract

Seasonal variation of the population of aerobic sporeformers in raw milk was higher in summer than in other seasons. Least variation was in fall, but variation in winter and spring was similar. Aerobic mesophilic sporeformers in raw milk consisted mainly of Bacillus subtilis (42.5%) and Bacillus megaterium (34.8%), followed by Bacillus circulans (4.9%), Bacillus cereus (4.6%), Bacillus pumilus (2.9%), Bacillus polymyxa (2.8%), Bacillus licheniformis (1.9%), Bacillus badius (1.5%), Bacillus brevis (1.3%), Bacillus pulvifaciens (1.2%), Bacillus coagulans (1.1%), and Bacillus firmus (.5%). Comparing these findings with those previously obtained for the same area reveal noticeable variations. The psychrotrophic Bacillus strains were cereus (42.6%), pumilus (31.9%), badius (12.8%), licheniformis (10.6%), and firmus (2.1%). © 1983, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.