GROWTH OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN ACIDIFIED PASTEURIZED MILK1

Abstract

The effect of gradually reducing the pH of pasteurized milk with acetic, citric, hydrochloric, lactic, and phosphoric acids over periods of 4, 8, and 12 hr on growth of Staphylococcus aureus 100 in this substrate was determined. In addition, 1: 1 mixtures of lactic acid and each of the other acids, and of acetic and citric acids were evaluated for their effect on growth of this organism. To achieve a 90% reduction in growth over a 12 hr period, a final pH value of 5.2 was required for acetic, 4.9 for lactic, 4.7 for phosphoric and citric, and 4.6 for hydrochloric acid. A 99% reduction during a 12 hr period was obtained with a final pH value of 5.0 for acetic, 4.6 for lactic, 4.5 for citric, 4.1 for phosphoric, and 4.0 for hydrochloric acid. A pH value of 3.3 was required for a 99.9% reduction with hydrochloric acid, whereas the same effect was produced at a pH value of 4.9 with acetic acid. Correspondingly lower pH values were required to inhibit growth within 8 and 4 hr periods. Mixtures of acids adjusted to pH values at the borderline for growth (12 hr period) exhibited neither synergistic nor antagonistic effects between two acids.