PATHOGENS RESEARCH IN DIFFERENT TRADITIONAL AND DELACTOSED PROBIOTIC YOGURTS
Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) possess the ability of reducing pathogenic microbiota in several dairy products. This paper consists of an experimental investigation of deteriorating food pathogens in order to identify pathogenic bacteria in significant levels, such as coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, to analyze sanitary conditions of new developed traditional (4.5% of lactose) and delactosed (0% of lactose) probiotic yogurts. Six formulations were prepared with the following characteristics: F1: Lactobacillus acidophilus culture, Bifidobacterium + L. bulgaricus (DVS) + traditional milk; F2: DVS culture + delactosed milk; F3: culture work + L. paracasei BC81 + traditional milk; F4: culture work + L. paracasei BC81 + delactosed milk; F5: commercial yogurt + commercial L. casei + traditional milk; F6: commercial yogurt + commercial L. casei + delactosed milk. Results showed that there were no counts (<0.1 log CFU.ml-1) of typical Staphylococcus in any of the six yogurt samples. Furthermore, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. were not detected in any of the samples, meaning an absence of these microorganisms in 25 grams. Another analysed factor was the use of milk in the production of delactosed yogurt that provides favourable conditions (sugars availability) to the growth of LAB and contributes to the control of the microorganisms. In addition, this study was concerned with the safety of the final product and use of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in order to attenuate inconvenient factors capable of affecting product quality, starting from the milking process, the sanitation of equipment and employees up to the final product shipment. We can conclude that the new products analyzed are all safe and innocuous to the consumer and are able to be retailed. The strains from different probiotics were proved to influence the growth inhibition of deteriorating and pathogenic microorganisms.