Occurrence of some microorganisms in relation to public health in kareish cheese [with 4 tables]

ABSTRACT

Fifty random samples of Kareish cheese were collected from local markets in Dakahlia Province, Egypt during spring of 2005 to be examined chemically and bacteriologically. The mean acidity%, moisture% and sodium chloride% of examined kareish cheese samples were 1.5, 61.2 and 5.4 respectively. While, the mean counts/g of examined samples for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens and Enterococci were 3.8x10[3], 3.4x10[4], 1.8x10[4], 1.9x10[2] and 5.7x10[6] respectively. Yersinia enterocolitica was isolated from 4% of examined kareish cheese samples, while Salmonellae failed to be detected. Significant correlation was found between acidity%, moisture% sodium chloride% and different bacterial counts in kareish cheese. The public health importance of the isolated organisms as well as sanitary measures for improving the quality of kareish cheese were discussed