New Bacterial Species in Raw Milk

Filed in archive Food and Agriculture , Microbiology on December 11, 2008

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Microbiologists have identified new species of bacteria in raw milk. One of these bacteria, Chryseobacterium oranimense, can grow at cold temperatures and secretes enzymes that may spoil milk. Furthermore, since raw milk is refrigerated after collection, this favors the growth of cold-tolerant bacteria that may produce heat-stable enzymes that can survive pasteurization and/or affect the flavor of milk and its products.

Researchers indicate that many psychrotolerant bacterial flora of raw milk are still unidentified.