[Enterococcal and coliform content in white brine cheese]

The contamination with microorganisms (enterococci and coliforms) indicative of hygeinic status was studied in 98 samples of white brine cheese (33 samples of cow's milk cheese and 65 of ewe's milk cheese) prepared for sale. It was found that 22.4 per cent of the cheese samples do not contain enterococi in 0.01 g product but in 15.3 per cent their amount exceeds 100 000/g. No relationship was found between enterococci finding and cheese content of salt, titratable and active acidity. Cheese contamination with coliforms bacteria is limited--merely 3.1 per cent of the samples contain coliforms in quantity of 10--100/g. No difference was found in the contamination of cow's and ewe's milk white brine cheese with enterococci and coliforms. The enterococci microflora in white brine cheese and in the brine is represented predominantly by Str. faecium and Str. durans (91.3 per cent of the isolated strains). The coliforms are represented by E. coli, Enterob. aerogenes and Citrob. intermedium.