Microbial profile of street-vended kareish cheese

Abstract EN

A total of 40 samples of street-vended kareish cheese were collected from different localities in Alexandria and Kafr El-Sheikh Governor- ates and examined for evaluation of their microbial status.

The mean values for Total Colony, Psychrotrophic, Coliforms (MPN/g), Fecal Coliforms (MPN/g), Enterococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Yeast and Mold counts were 6.42107+5.33106 cfu/g; 2.2 106 1.9105cfu/g; 4.2106  6.9104; 3.2105  4.1104; 5.011051.6105cfu/g; 2.28 1049.0103 cfu/g;5.41105  4.23104cfu/g and 2.45104 2.3103 cfu/g, respectively.

Escherichia coli was isolated from 15 (37.5%) samples.The serological identification of the enteropathogenic strains were related to O55; O111; O114; O119 and O126.

Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Candida species were isolated.

Five strains of Aspergillus were proved to be aflatoxin producer with a mean concentration of 18.233.24 ppb.

Recommendations for improving the quality and the public health importance for the isolated organisms were discussed.