Evaluation of protective bacterial cultures for the effective control of Listeria in high risk cheeses

<p>Queso fresco is an increasingly popular cheese style in the US. Many factors that make its taste so appealing also make it susceptible to the outgrowth of Listeria monocytogenes. Ensuring the safety of these cheeses is a multi-pronged approach that involve pathogen reduction, GMP and environmental controls, and including protective components that either inhibit or eliminate L. monocytogenes. There are several strains that have been shown to effectively control Listeria growth in foods that otherwise, like queso fresco, are susceptible to listeria growth. This study will evaluate protective cultures that have demonstrated effective control of Listeria, but whose efficacy has not been evaluated in queso fresco. Our goal is to understand if these cultures represent new and effective tools for queso fresco makers to control L. monocytogenes, and demonstrate how cheese makers could apply these cultures. Finally, we will ascertain any potential impact on final product flavor.</p>