Study of the population dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas fluorescens in buffalo mozzarella by means of challenge testing

• Main Authors: Donatella Nava, Salvatore Capo, Vincenzo Caligiuri, Valerio Giaccone, Loredana Biondi, Gerardo Francesco Vaccaro, Achille Guarino, Federico Capuano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2016-06-01
• Series: Italian Journal of Food Safety
• Subjects: Buffalo mozzarella; Campania; Challenge test; Listeria monocytogenes; Pseudomonas fluorescens
• Online Access: http://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/ijfs/article/view/5690

Campania’s buffalo mozzarella is a greatly appreciated cheese in Italy and worldwide. From a microbiological standpoint, it is a highly perishable food and potentially at risk of contamination by pathogens such as <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> (<em>L. monocytogenes</em>). The present paper reports the results of a challenge test carried out to assess the population dynamics of <em>L. monocytogenes</em>, alone and in presence of <em>Pseudomonas fluorescens</em> (<em>P. fluorescens</em>), in buffalo mozzarella. For this purpose buffalo mozzarella samples were contaminated with <em>L. monocytogenes</em> alone or combined with <em>P. fluorescens</em>. In samples where <em>L. monocytogenes</em> was inoculated alone, the bacterial load remained unchanged. On the contrary, in samples contaminated with <em>L. monocytogenes</em> and <em>P. fluorescens</em>, the growth of <em>L. monocytogenes</em> increased.