Bacterial contamination in fresh white cheeses sold in bazaars Canakkale, Turkey

Sixty specimens of fresh white cheeses, presented for sale in district bazaars at the center and in some towns of Canakkale, were analyzed microbiologically in this study. The Total Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria (TAMB), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Stahpylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp. and Brucella spp. bacteria, included in the specimens collected between February and October, were investigated. In the evaluation conducted, it was found out that the specimens contained TAMB at the interval of 5.2 x 10^4 – 5.68 x 10¹¹cfu/g and, in all collected specimens, Coliform group of bacteria and E. coli were isolated and the bacterial counts were found to be at the intervals of 1.0 x 10³ – 9.58 x 10^8 and 1.2 x 10² – 3.6 x 10^8 cfu/g, respectively. Salmonella spp. were detected in 2 specimens and no Pseudomonas spp. and S. aureus bacteria were encountered. The Brucella spp. bacteria were not encountered in any of the specimens. In conclusion, it was observed that the specimens of fresh white cheese included in this study contained microbial contamination at a health-threatening level and did not comply with the related standards.