[Proposal for microbiological criteria for the control of cheese spreads]

Eighteen lots of processed cheese and processed cheese spread were analyzed. Results obtained for the yeasts and molds count (RHL) and the total coliforms count (RCT) were 88.9% inferior to 100 per gram, in the 90 subsamples studied. The fecal coliforms count (RCF) and the S. aureus count were, respectively, 96.6% and 94.4% inferior to 10 per gram, for the same subsamples. Taking into account the format presented by the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods and the results of our survey, a three class plan is proposed for the following microbiological tests: RHL (n = 5, c = 2, m = 100, M = 1000); RCT (n = 5, c = 2, m = 100, M = 1000); RCF (n = 5, c = 2, m = 10, M = 100); and S. aureus count (n = 5, c = 1, m = 100, M = 1000). Therefore, applying these microbiological specifications, 4 lots (22.2%) would be rejected.