Assessment of the Microbiological Quality and Safety of Unpasteurized Milk Cheese for Sale in England between 2019 and 2020

What is it about?

Cheese made with unpasteurised milk can cause illness, due to the presence of harmful bacteria in the milk or introduced during the cheese-making process. We tested over 600 samples of cheese collected from retail and catering premises in England, to determine the overall levels of harmful bacteria and those bacteria that provide information about the hygiene of cheese production. Over 80% of samples were of a satisfactory microbiological quality, but a small number gave results that caused concern and warrant further investigation.

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