Microbiology Commons^™

Assessing Growth And Methods Of Decontamination Of Listeria Monocytogenes In Brushes And Brines Used For Production Of Washed-Rind Cheese, Rosalind Grace Neale

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Washed-rind, or smear-ripened, cheeses are considered high-risk for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes due to favorable growth conditions on the cheese rind and multiple points for contamination during post-production cheese care and aging. Foodborne illness outbreaks have implicated wash solutions and washing tools as potential vectors for transmission of L. monocytogenes. In order to evaluate the risk posed by the wash solutions and cheese brushes independently, a three-objective study was developed to investigate the growth potential of L. monocytogenes in cheese washing solutions (Objective I) and the transfer potential of L. monocytogenes between wash solution and cheese brush bristles of three …