EVALUATION OF LACTIC-ACID AND MONOLAURIN TO CONTROL LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES ON STRACCHINO CHEESE

The behaviour of Listeria monocytogenes was evaluated during storage o f Italian Stracchino cheese dipped in lactic acid (1.4%) or surface tr eated with (1)-monolauroyl-(rac)-glycerol (monolaurin, 200 mu g cm(-2) ). The cheese was surface inoculated with approximately 5 x 10(2) cfu cm(-2) of L. monocytogenes, and stored under vacuum at 5 degrees C for 12 days. The lactic acid treatment resulted in lower counts (P < 0.05 ) of L. monocytogenes compared untreated cheese washed with water. Whe n lactic-treated cheese was stored at 5 degrees C, levels of L. monocy togenes did not change appreciably. Treating cheese with monolaurin al so significantly reduced the number of L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, 12 day counts were less than the untreated control. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited