Some Volatile and Nonvolatile Compounds Associated with Milk and Their Effects on Certain Bacteria. A Review1

Abstract

Raw and heated milks contain numerous volatile and other compounds. This review discusses some of the available information with particular emphasis on compounds having a low boiling point and which are likely to be removed by the vacuum treatment that often is combined with commercial pasteurization of milk. Reports dealing with carbonyl compounds including fatty acids, alcohols, and ketones have been reviewed. Emphasis has been given to fatty acids having up to 10 carbon atoms. Sections dealing with the occurrence in milk of volatile sulfur compounds, nitrogenous compounds, and alcohols also are included. A brief discussion about some miscellaneous compounds concludes the first part of this review. A detailed discussion of the effects of some compounds associated with milk on certain bacteria constitutes the second part of this review. The inhibitory effect of fatty acids, aldehydes, ketones, sulfur compounds, amines, alcohols, and some other compounds on lactic streptococci, lactobacilli. Escherichia coli. Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and some other organisms encountered in the dairy industry, is discussed.