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[Contamination of dairy products by yeasts-like fungi]

D Białasiewicz1, M Kłosiński

  • 1Katedra Biologii i Parazytologii Lekarskiej,90-436 Lódź, al. Kościuszki 4.

Wiadomosci Parazytologiczne
|August 10, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Potentially pathogenic yeast-like fungi contaminate dairy products, with cream and cottage cheese showing the highest contamination levels. This study identified 19 fungal species, highlighting Geotrichum candidum and Candida species as prevalent contaminants.

Area of Science:

  • Food Microbiology
  • Mycology
  • Dairy Science

Background:

  • Dairy products are susceptible to microbial contamination.
  • Potentially pathogenic fungi can pose risks to food safety and quality.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the contamination levels of dairy products with potentially pathogenic fungal strains.
  • To identify the specific fungal species present in contaminated dairy products.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of various dairy products including yoghurt, cottage cheese, cream, and buttermilk.
  • Identification of fungal species using morphological features and biochemical profiling (API 20 C bioMérieux).

Main Results:

  • 100 out of 300 (33.0%) dairy products were contaminated with yeast-like fungi.
  • Cream (95.7%), cottage cheese (87.9%), and kefir (60.0%) exhibited the highest contamination rates.
  • Nineteen fungal species were identified, with Geotrichum candidum, Candida lusitaniae, and C. inconspicua being the most prevalent.

Conclusions:

  • Dairy products, particularly cream and cottage cheese, are significantly contaminated with potentially pathogenic fungi.
  • Effective control measures are needed to minimize fungal contamination in dairy production.

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