Rapid methods and automation in dairy microbiology.

The importance of microbiology to the dairy industry has been demonstrated by recent outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with consumption of milk and dairy products that had been contaminated with pathogenic organisms or toxins. Undesirable microorganisms constitute the primary hazard to safety, quality, and wholesomeness of milk and dairy foods. Consequently, increased emphasis has been placed on the microbiological analysis of milk and dairy products designed to evaluate quality and to ensure safety and regulatory compliance. The focus of dairy microbiology, however, remains largely on conventional methods: plate counts, most probable numbers, and dye reduction tests. These methods are slow, tedious, intensive in their requirements for material and labor, and often not suitable for assessing the quality and shelf-life of perishable dairy foods. With the exception of coliforms, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus, isolation and characterization of various organisms occurring in milk and milk products are seldom a part of the routine microbiological analysis in the dairy industry. Recent emphasis on the programs based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) for total quality management in the dairy industry and increased demand for microbiological surveillance of products, process, and environment have led to increased interest in rapid methods and automation in microbiology. Several methods for rapid detection, isolation, enumeration, and characterization of microorganisms are being adapted by the dairy industry. This presentation reviews rapid methods and automation in microbiology for microbiological analysis of milk and dairy products.