The control of proteolytic microorganisms is one of the main challenges of the dairy industry, due to their spoilage activity that jeopardizes the quality of their products. Seventy-four Bacillus cereus strains isolated from powdered, UHT, and pasteurized milks were tested for the presence of the neutral metallopeptidase (npr) gene and proteolytic activity at 7, 10, 25, 30, and 37°C. All strains had the npr gene, and proteolytic activity increased with the incubation temperature. The obtained results highlight the relevance of B. cereus as a spoiling agent in the dairy industry in terms of its genetic predisposition for proteolytic capacity, especially at room temperature.
Keywords: Bacillus cereus; proteolysis; psychrotrophic; spoilage.
Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.