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Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2001 | Volume: 4 | Issue: 6 | Page No.: 733-735
DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2001.733.735
Fungal Contamination of White Cheese at the Stage of Consumption in Saudi Arabia
Laila Nasser

Abstract: Thirteen species appertaining to 4 genera of molds and yeast were isolated from twenty cheese samples using malt extract and 10% NaCl-Czapek`s gar media at 25 °C. The results revealed that the white cheese under examination were less polluted and most of the samples tested, were free of fungi comparing with other findings. The total fungal counts in cheese samples were relatively low and ranged from 95 and 125 colonies / 160 cheese pieces on the two isolation media, respectively. Members of Penicillium (P. brevicompactum, P. chrysogenum, P. paxilli and P. waksmanii) and Aspergillus (A. flavus, A. niger and A. oryzae) were the most prevalent fungi on cheese samples. Also, some unknown yeasts were encountered, in moderate occurrence. The preliminary examination, using 70 isolates, was done to test their ability to produce protease enzyme. The results indicated that 59 fungal isolates showed their ability to hydrolyze milk protein. Among the positive isolates 24 could produce the enzyme in high amount, while 20 produce moderate, and remaining 15 produce weak amounts.

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How to cite this article
Laila Nasser , 2001. Fungal Contamination of White Cheese at the Stage of Consumption in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 4: 733-735.

Keywords: Aspergillus, Cheese, fungal contamination and penicillium

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