Effect of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria on the viability of Salmonella serovar Typhimurium PT8 during milk fermentation and preparation of buffalo's yogurt

Viability of dairy-borne Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica serovar Typhimurium PT8 was studied during the fermentation of skim milk by thermophilic lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Longer generation times of Salmonella were found in mixed cultures of skim milk containing Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus or a mixture of them (1:1), as compared with single cultures of the pathogen. Salmonella was less able to survive in mixed cultures with these LAB during prolonged incubation at 41°C and also during cold storage of the fermented milk. L actobacillus ssp. bulgaricus and its mixture with S. thermophilus were more inhibitory to the growth and survival of Salmonella than was S. thermophilus . This was associated with higher ability of L . ssp. bulgaricus and the mixture to develop acidity in milk than S. thermophilus . Examining the antibacterial activity of these LAB towards Salmonella showed that other factors including heat-resistant and heat-labile compounds were involved in inhibiting the pathogen by these cultures. The viability of the same Salmonella strain during the preparation and cold storage of buffalo's yogurt was also examined. Salmonella was found to survive longer in yogurt made with starter containing probiotic bacteria than in that prepared with the traditional starter. This was ascribed to the development of lower pH by the traditional starter.