Effect of pasteurization and seasonal variations in the microflora of eweʹs milk for cheesemaking Original Research Article

Counts of micro-organisms with health and technological implications (total aerobic mesophiles,Enterobacteriaceae, total coliforms, faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pseudomonas, Clostridium tyrobutyricum , moulds, and yeasts) in raw and pasteurized eweʹs milk were performed over the course of one lactation period (winter, spring, and summer). The high counts of all the micro-organism groups recorded in the raw milk are indicative of the need to apply HACCP procedures to the milk production. Seasonal differences in the counts were recorded for 10 of the micro-organism groups considered, the highest counts being in spring. In contrast, the highest counts in the pasteurized milk were recorded in summer, because of lower effectiveness of pasteurization at that time of the year. Reductions in the counts of the different micro-organism groups were likewise variable. The presence of micro-organisms that may pose a health threat in the pasteurized milk highlights the need for post-pasteurization controls.