[Coliform bacteria in raw and pasteurized milk]

Studied were 360 samples of raw and 1404 samples of pasteurized milk, collected from three milk centers, for the presence of coliform bacteria. It was found that the coli titer of the raw milk varied from 10(-5) up to 10(-7), depending on the season. The regimes of pasteurization applied kill 100 per cent of the present coli organisms. After the thermic treatment the milk was additionally contaminated with coli forms from the containers and the equipment in dependence on the conditions of washing and disinfection. The coli titer of the pasteurized milk varied from 1 to 10(-3). A total of 602 strains of coliform bacteria were isolated from the pasteurized and the raw milk; the bacteria were differentiated by the scheme of Kauffmann. Most commonly encountered were the coli forms of the following genera:Citrobacter (35 per cent), Enterobacter (29.8 per cent), Klebsiella (23.9 per cent), and Escherichia (11.3 per cent). The following species were prevailing in raw milk: Kl. aerogenes, Ent. aerogenes, Ent. cloacae, C. freundi, and C. intermedium. In pasteurized milk dominating were Kl. aerogenes, C. freundi. Ent. aerogenes, and Ent. cloacae.