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Chapter 9: Food-borne diseases, including those via dairy products, have been recognised as major threats to human health. The causes associated with dairy food-borne disease are the use of raw milk in the manufacture of dairy products, faulty processing conditions during the heat treatment of milk, post-processing contamination, failure in due diligence and an unhygienic water supply. Dairy food-borne diseases affecting human health are associated with certain strains of bacteria belonging to the genera of Clostridium, Bacillus, Escherichia, Staphylococcus and Listeria, which are capable of producing toxins, plus moulds that can produce mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, sterigmatocytin and ochratoxin. Microbial Toxins in Dairy Products reviews the latest scientific knowledge and developments for detecting and studying the presence of these toxins in dairy products, updating the analytical techniques required to examine bacterial and mould toxins and the potential for contamination of milk as it passes along the food chain, i.e. from 'farm-to-fork'. This comprehensive and accessible collection of techniques will help dairy processors, food scientists, technologists, researchers and students to further minimise the incidences of dairy food-borne illnesses in humans. The EU (2002) laid down the general principles and requirements of food law where it had changed the approach to food safety through the integrated control of the food chain, that is, the concept ‘from farm to table’, the precautionary principle, the responsibilities of food business operators, the traceability at all stage of food chain, and the introduction of ‘risk analysis’ (Codex Alimentarius Commission-FAO, 1999). The scope of a risk assessment is dependent on the risk management question and the reason for doing the assessment. The microbiological risk assessment would reveal, for example, either the sources of exposure to the pathogen or determine which pathogen(s) may be present in a specific and/or group of cheeses. This approach is largely a qualitative evaluation of the risk issue. in the process. If a hazard identification is orientated towards the food, then the focus will be on the use of available epidemiological and microbiological data to determine which pathogens could be associated with the products. In the dairy chain, contesting the hazard identification is linked to the microbiological quality of raw milk, the cheesemaking process including raw and/or pasteurization of the milk, maturation of the pressed curd, cross‐contamination, packaging, and handling at home.

Water Buffalo Mozzarella (WBM) is a typical Italian stretched-curd cheese, traditionally produced in central-southern Italy. The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) mark was obtained in 1996, according to Reg. (CE) 510/2006 and it represents a guarantee in relation to the geographical production area, milk quality, production phases and labelling.

This work investigated bacteriophage induced starter failures in artisanal buffalo Mozzarella production plants in Southern Italy. Two hundred and ten samples of whey starter cultures were screened for bacteriophage infection. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed phage infection in 28.56% of samples, all showing acidification problems during cheese making. Based on DNA sequences, bacteriophages for Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis), Lactobacillus delbruekii (L. delbruekii) and Streptococcus thermophilus (S. thermophilus) were detected. Two phages active against L. lactis, фApr-1 and фApr-2, were isolated and characterised. The genomes, approximately 31.4 kb and 31 kb for фApr-1 and фApr-2 respectively, consisted of double-stranded linear DNA with pac-type system. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed one major structural protein of approximately 32.5 kDa and several minor proteins. This is the first report of phage isolation in buffalo milk and of the use of multiplex PCR to screen and study the diversity of phages against Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) strains in artisanal Water Buffalo Mozzarella starters.

The European Commission (EU) laid down the general principles and requirements of food law where it had changed the approach to food safety through the integrated control of the food chain. Hazard characterisation’ is the quantitative and/or qualitative evaluation of the adverse effects that may results from the ingestion of chemical, microbiological and physical agents presents in foods. This chapter provides an assessment of the risk associated with the consumption of different cheeses for the possible presence of certain toxins. FAO (1978) has provided a classical definition of cheese that is accepted internationally. Staphylococcal intoxication is a common cause of bacterial foodborne outbreaks, linked to the ability of Staphylococcus aureus to produce thermostable staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). In the dairy chain, contesting the hazard identification is linked to the microbiological quality of raw milk, the cheesemaking process including raw and/or pasteurisation of the milk, maturation of the pressed curd, and handling at home. Approaches to Assess the Risks/Modelling of Microbial Growth and Toxin Production | Request PDF. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312275438_Approaches_to_Assess_the_RisksModelling_of_Microbial_Growth_and_Toxin_Production [accessed Jan 19 2018].

SUMMARY Heterocyclic amines (HAs) are in cooked meat dishes at ng/g levels. They are animal carcinogens that form adducts in human tissues, and have been associated with increased risk of cancer. Cooking method, time, temperature, heat transfer, and chemical composition of food influence HA production during domestic, restaurant and industrial cooking. IQ, MeIQx, 4-8-DiMeIQx, PhiP Harman and Norharman are the most abundant HAs in cooked meat. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified IQ as probably carcinogenic for humans (Group 2A) and MeIQx, PhiP and other polar HAs as possibly carcinogenic for humans (Group 2B). Avoiding over-cooking of meat seems to be an important way to decrease the content of HAs. Addition of waterholding ingredients, such as common salt, potato starch or carbohydrates, may also affect the formation of HAs. Frying in oil containing antioxidants may provide a way to reduce the amounts of HA formed. Such recommendations may assure food safety and decrease the human intake of HAs.

Value recorded for pH and moisture content (%) in the seven analyzed samples. alues are means of three determinations (Âą sd) calculated with 95Â % confidence. (DOCX 15Â kb)

Schematic planimetry of the composting plan and sampling points. (DOCX 78Â kb)

The natural lactic flora of the artisanal chilli “Tramonti” cheese, a typical product manufactured in the “Lattari mountains”, area of Salerno province (Italy), was investigated. Particular attention was paid to the growth dynamics assessment and to the molecular identification of the indigenous lactic acid bacteria involved in the ripening of this cheese made with raw sheep milk without starter cultures. One batch was monitored taking 4 sample on 0, 30, 50 and 105 ripening days. Lactobacillus and Lactococcus were enumerated and randomly isolated on MRS and LM17 agar (32ºC x 48h -mesophilic flora- and 42°C x 48h -thermophilic flora), respectively. N. 66 presumptive lactic acid bacteria isolates, gram positive and catalase negative, were genotipically identified by Ribotyping. Mesophilic Lactobacillus remained at levels of 107 cfu/g during whole maturation time and thermophilic Lactobacillus, from initial values of 105 cfu/g, reached concentratios of 106 cfu/g at the end of maturation. Mesophilic and thermophilic Lactococcus showed, on average, levels of 106 since the beginning of the ripening. Ribotyping allowed to detect 4 lactic acid bacteria species: Enterococcus faecium (65,15%), Lactococcus lactis spp. cremoris (24,24%), Enterococcus faecalis (6,06%) and Enterococcus durans (4,54%), showingdiversity of indigenous lactic acid bacteria of chilli “Tramonti” cheese.

The natural lactic flora of the artisanal chilli ???Tramonti??? cheese, a typical product manufactured in the ???Lattari mountains???, area of Salerno province (Italy), was investigated. Particular attention was paid to the growth dynamics assessment and to the molecular identification of the indigenous lactic acid bacteria involved in the ripening of this cheese made with raw sheep milk without starter cultures. One batch was monitored taking 4 sample on 0, 30, 50 and 105 ripening days. Lactobacillus and Lactococcus were enumerated and randomly isolated on MRS and LM17 agar (32ºC x 48h -mesophilic flora- and 42°C x 48h -thermophilic flora), respectively. N. 66 presumptive lactic acid bacteria isolates, gram positive and catalase negative, were genotipically identified by Ribotyping. Mesophilic Lactobacillus remained at levels of 107 cfu/g during whole maturation time and thermophilic Lactobacillus, from initial values of 105 cfu/g, reached concentratios of 106 cfu/g at the end of maturation. Mesophilic and thermophilic Lactococcus showed, on average, levels of 106 since the beginning of the ripening. Ribotyping allowed to detect 4 lactic acid bacteria species: Enterococcus faecium (65,15%), Lactococcus lactis spp. cremoris (24,24%), Enterococcus faecalis (6,06%) and Enterococcus durans (4,54%), showing the diversity of indigenous lactic acid bacteria of chilli ???Tramonti??? cheese.