Authors
Caroline Willis, Frieda Jørgensen, Michelle Kesby, Claire Jenkins, Heather Aird, Sandra Lai, Lorraine Sadler-Reeves
Published in
Letters in applied microbiology. Sep 02, 2026. Epub Sep 02, 2026.
Abstract
Foodborne outbreaks have been associated with both pasteurised and unpasteurised milk cheeses in the UK in recent years. This study aimed to assess and compare the microbiological quality of cheese made from pasteurised and unpasteurised milk on sale in England and Northern Ireland. Overall, 2032 cheese samples were collected from retailers and producers throughout England and Northern Ireland. Samples originated from 27 countries, with the UK (53%) and France (15%) being the most common. When compared to UK legislation and guidance, 96% were considered to be of satisfactory microbiological quality, with a greater proportion of unsatisfactory results in unpasteurised (6%) than pasteurised milk cheeses (2%). Five samples (0.2%), all made from unpasteurised milk, were potentially injurious to health due to the detection of shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in two, >104 CFU/g of coagulase positive staphylococci in two and > 100 CFU/g of Listeria monocytogenes in one. Neither the L. monocytogenes nor the STEC isolates were genetically closely related to those from recent cases of human illness. While the majority of samples were of satisfactory microbiological quality, a small number of results of public health concern were highlighted, particularly where cheeses were made with unpasteurised milk.
PMID:
42684028
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 02 Sep 2026.
Read full publication at:
Please sign in
to see all details.
Advertisement
Stats
- Recommendations n/a n/a positive of 0 vote(s)
- Views 3
- Comments 0