[Find of enterococci in sour cream and butter]

Studied was the enterococcus count in cream intended for the production of butter. It was found that in about 33 per cent of the cream samples the enterococcus titer varies within the 0.1+range, and in 66 per cent it is 0.01, up to and below 0.0001. It was likewise established that after the churning process is over and after the washing of the butter product more than 90 per cent of the enterococcus microflora has passed into the buttermilk and the waste water. The enterococcus count in the butter was found to be limited: 93 per cent of the butter samples have 0.1 and higher titers, and at least 7 per cent of them are with titers ranging from 0.01 up to 0.001. Prevailing are ususally the species of the fecalis group and in the first place Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens. Suggested are standard norms concerning the admissible numbers of Enterococcus bacteria in butter. For example, superior quality butter should have a titer of 1, and first quality butter --0.1.