Bulletin of the IDF N° 275/1992 - Bacillus cereus in milk and milk products

Publication description

By various authors

Bacillus cereus is an organism widely distributed in the environment and present in many food products. The organism not only contributes to the deterioration of certain foods but it can be involved in food-borne illness. Owing to improvements other spoilage organisms of milk and milk products have declined in importance and B. cereus now determines the spoilage rate. Fortunately, however, illness caused by B. cereus in milk or milk products is very unusual.

This monograph deals with the following aspects:

• taxonomy of B. cereus,
• spore formation and germination,
• enumeration of spores and vegetative cells,
• contamination of milk on the farm and in the factory,
• heat resistance of spores,
• factors affecting growth,
• toxicology,
• occurrence in milk and milk products.