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Abstract
Pure N(2) gas was introduced in the headspace of test bottles containing raw milk
that were then stored at either 6.0, 7.0, or 12.0 degrees C. Treatment with N(2) significantly
reduced the growth of total bacteria, and the growth of bacterial subgroups such as
psychrotrophs, enterobacteria, protease- and lipase-producing bacteria, and Listeria
spp, and completely excluded Bacillus cereus growth on MYP plates. The inhibitory
effect was maximal at 6.0 degrees C, and bacterial growth could be halted at this
temperature for 11 days. At 12.0 degrees C, N(2) was able to inhibit growth during
the first 48 h. No alarming or undesirable effects, such as the excessive growth of
anaerobes or lactobacilli, were observed during the course of the study. The same
treatments also halted the growth of one bacterial isolate in pure culture that expressed
multiresistance to antibiotics. The continuous flushing of raw milk with pure N(2)
gas in a so-called open system that allows gas exchanges with the environment positively
impacted the microbiological quality of the raw milk at a temperature range of 6.0-12.0
degrees C. This procedure should therefore be considered as a possible complementary
method to refrigeration in controlling bacterial growth and the spoilage potential
of both psychrotrophs and mesophiles in raw milk.
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