The effect of pH on the initiation of growth of cottage cheese spoilage bacteria.

The influence of pH on strains of Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacter agglomerans that cause spoilage of cottage cheese varieties during storage at 7 degrees C has been investigated. In a culture medium adjusted to the required pH with HCl, 57 of 64 strains of Pseudomonas spp. grew at pH 4.8 when incubated at 7 degrees C but a very low proportion of strains grew at pH 4.7 or pH 4.6 and none at pH 4.5. At 20 degrees C some of the pseudomonads grew at pH 4.4. Three out of nine strains of E. agglomerans grew at pH 3.8 when incubated at 7 degrees C and at pH 3.6 when incubated at 20 degrees C. In cultures of E. agglomerans at controlled pH and 20 degrees C, after a lag phase the doubling time at pH 4.1 was 2 h, and at pH 7.0 was 1.4 h.