[Nitrate-reducing microorganisms in milk products and human milk]

The quantitative determination of nitrate-reducing microorganisms in food is important because of their role in the formation of N-nitroso compounds and methemoglobin. The total counts of microorganisms and the counts of nitrate-reducing microorganisms were assayed in various milk products and in human milk by the method of the most probable numbers using nitrate broth medium. The mean value and standard deviation of the nitrate-reducing microorganisms were the following: in pasteurized milk 3.4 +/- 1.1 log/ml (in spring and summer 4.2 +/- 1.1, and in winter 2.8 +/- 0.6 log/ml), in kefir "Tallinn' 2.9 +/- 1.1 log/ml, in fat kefir 2.9 +/- +/- 0.7 log/ml, in sour milk 3.9 +/- 0.5 log/ml, in fresh milk 4.6 +/- 0.6 log/ml and in human milk 2.7 +/- +/- 1.1 log/ml. The amount of nitrate-reducing microorganisms in pasteurized milk of the spring-summer period and in fresh milk was significantly higher than in human milk. The mean count of nitrate-reducing microorganisms in human milk is regarded as a maximum permitted count of these organisms in milk for bottle-fed sucklings. For them and for atrophic gastritis patients pasteurized or fresh milk should be boiled.