Microbial monitoring of locally manufactured cream cheese-like product

ABSTRACT

A total of 25 samples of cream cheese-like product were collected from different localities in Kafr El-Sheikh area and examined for evaluation of their hygienic status. The obtained results indicated that the mean value of salt content was 2.90 +/- 0.24 and pH was 4.92 +/- 0.17. The mean value of Psychrotrophic count, Enterobacteriaceae count, Staphylococcus count, Yeast and mould count and proteolytic count were 4.04 x 10[4] +/- 1.20 x 10[4], 2.40 x 10[3] +/- 0.50 x 10[3], 2.00 x 10[4] +/- 0.61 X 10[4], 1.80 x 10[3] +/- 0.42 x 10[3], 3.50 X 10[3] +/- 0.76 x 10[3] and 1.20 x 10[3] +/- 0.26 x 10[3], respectively. Escherichia coli could be isolated in a percentage of [54%] and Staphylococcus aureus [68%], while mould species could be isolated with a percentage ranged from 4-16%, and yeast species ranged from 8-32%. Recommendations for improving the quality of such product as well as public health significance of isolated organisms were discussed