Incidence of aerobic sporeformers

Abstract EN

Seventy (25 unflavored full cream, 15 banana flavored, 15 strawberry flavored and 15 chocolate flavored) UHT milk samples were collected randomly from different groceries and supermarkets in Kafrelsheikh, Egypt.

All samples were examined for aerobic plate count and aerobic sporeformers.

Results revealed that the mean aerobic plate count for unflavored full cream, banana flavored, strawberry and chocolate flavored UHT milk samples examined (after incubation of samples at 30-35°C/7days) were 10.4+9.6, 27.5±39.4, 19.6± 27.9 and 15.2 ± 26.6 cfu/ml respectively.

Results declared that 16 (22.9%) out of 70 UHT milk samples examined, exceeded the Egyptian standards of total aerobic bacterial count (10 cfu/ml) for long life sterilized milk.

Statistical analytical results of aerobic sporeformers count revealed that 16(64%) of unflavored full cream, 12 (80%) of banana flavored, 11(73.3%) of strawberry flavored and 10 (66.67%) of chocolate flavored UHT milk samples were positive for aerobic sporeformers with mean counts of 13.19 ±28.7, 28.67 ± 44.1, 7.27 ± 4.3 and 7.70 ±4.6 cfu/ml respectively.

The isolated bacillus species were identified as B.

stearothermophilus which recorded the highest incidence that it could be detected in 19 (27.1%) of the examined samples, followed by B.

cereus, B.

Licheniforms, B.

circular®, B.

megaterium , B.

subtilis, B.

coagulans and B.

alvei that could be isolated from 14(20%), 10 (14.3%), 9(12.9%), 9(12.9%), 9(12.9%), 8 (11.4%) and 1 (1.4%) of the examined samples respectively.

Source of these bacteria in milk, their economic and public health importance as well as the suggestive measures for control were discussed.

This study was planned to throw light on aerobic plate count and the incidence of aerobic sporeformers in the examined UHT milk samples regarding the Egyptian Standards