BACILLUS CEREUS: ISOLATION IN JENNET MILK

Jennet milk as human food is hypoallergenic for patients affected by Cow Milk Protein Allergy and multiple food allergies. For these pathologies, jennet milk represents the best alternative to other types of milk. Therefore, jennet milk consumers are very sensible to the effects of pathogens' contaminations, and several hygienic practices during the milk production need to be adopted. During regular monitoring in one Sicilian jennet farm, Bacillus cereus in the milk was detected. In 3 bulk milk samples (maximum concentration: 1.2 x 103 ufc/ml), in 3 individual milk samples (10, 20 e 60 ufc/ml), in the milk filter (5 ufc/cm2), in the soil (maximum concentration: 1.5 x 103 ufc/g), on the hands and the gloves of two milkers, on the animal hide (from 1 to 3 ufc/cm2). No spores were detected. A total of 8 Bacillus cereus s.s. strains were analyzed for diarrhoic toxin, and 6 strains producing enterotoxins resulted. The improvement of environmental and milking hygienic conditions reduced Bacillus cereus concentration.