[Microbiological research on processed cheese].

Microbiologic studies were carried out with a total of 136 batches of 8 assortments of softened cheese to establish the amount and composition of the microbial content of this product. It was found that the total count of mesophilic organisms of 72.8 per cent of the investigated batches reached up to 200 000/g. The content of hygiene-indicative organisms (coliforms and enterococci) was limited: 97 per cent of batches had a coli titer of 1 and over 1. The content of enterococci in 54.4 per cent of the investigated was below 100/g, and in 4.4 per cent it was over 100 000/g. No Salmonella bacteria and plasmacoagulase positive staphylococci in 25, resp., 10 g of the product were found. Contamination with sporeforming aerobic and anaerobic organisms in 72.1, resp., 91.9 per cent reached up to 1000, resp., 100 per gram of the product. The amount of proteolytic bacteria in 61.8 per cent of the batches was up to 1000/g, and in 8 per cent only--up to 100 000/g. The content of yeasts and moulds in 58.8, resp. 83.1 per cent of the batches was below 100/g.