Foodborne Diseases Associated With Cheese Manufacturing
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Cheese is a solid food made by coagulating the milk of cows, goats, sheep and other mammals. This is the most popular milk product used widely around the world.
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There are hundreds of cheese varieties. Some important ones include cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, American-style cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, paneer, Parmesan and Roquefort.
Cheese made out of raw and unpasteurized milk is one of the known causes of some serious food borne infections that include listeriosis, brucellosis, salmonellosis and tuberculosis. Even pathogenic organisms such as staphylococcus aureus and enteropathogenic E. coli strains have been isolated from certain varieties of cheese. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains cause serious diarrhea among infants. In adults, this can result in hemolytic uremic syndrome and renal failure. Staphylococcus aureus produces a heat-stable enterotoxin, that when ingested causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Listeriosis is another disease affecting pregnant women, newborns and adults with weak immunity. This is caused due to a microorganism known as Listeria monocytogenes. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, backache, abdominal pain and diarrhea. It can also lead to certain fatal conditions like meningitis and septicemia. Gastroenteritis caused due to Salmonella can cause septicemia and also lead to long term illnesses like reactive arthritis.
Unhygienic ways of cheese manufacturing has been recognized as the most important source of infection. Major risk factors during production include use of unpasteurized milk, insufficient growth of starter microorganisms and post-pasteurization contamination from equipment, environment and even personnel. It is important to ensure that milk is pasteurized and is of good quality. It should be free of any toxic antibiotics and other chemicals.
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