TYPES OF

MICROORGANISMS IN
MILK
TYPES OF BACTERIA

• According to the Bergey’s Mannual of Systematic Bacteriology,

Bacteria has been categorized into 4 major groups

a) Gram negative Eubacteria that have cell wall

b) Cell wall less Eubacteria

c) Archaebacteria

d) Gram Positive Eubacteria that have cell wall (LAB)

Types of microorganism food in milk are:

1. Biochemical Types

2. Temperature Characteristic Types

3. Pathogenic Types.
1. Biochemical Types:

This group consists of those microorganisms occurring in milk which bring about
biochemical changes in it.

(i) Acid forming microbes.

(ii) Gas forming microbes.

(iii) Ropy-milk forming microbes,

(iv) Proteolytic microbes, and

(v) Lipolytic microbes.

(i) Acid Forming Microbes:

• Acid forming microorganisms are certain bacteria which bring about natural
fermentation of milk.

• The most common type is the lactic acid fermentation which takes place during
souring of milk under natural conditions.

• Milk of good sanitary quality when kept under conditions that allow growth of
Streptococcus spp. (e.g., S. cremoris) and Lactobacillus species (e.g., L. casei, L.
plantarum, L. brevis, and L. fementum) develops a clean, sour flavour.
• Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes also ferment lactose to a
mixture of end products like acids, gases and some neutral
compounds.

• These are considered undesirable as they produce CO2, H2 and

unpleasant flavour.

• Microbacterium lacticum is also reported in milk and ferments lactose

to lactic acid and other end products.
(ii) Gas Forming Microorganisms:

• There are certain coliform bacteria like Clostridium butyricum which ferment
lactose to acids accompanied with accumulation of gases, the gas being usually
a mixture of CO2 and H2.

• Clostridium butyricum produces large amount of CO 2 whereas coliform bacteria

produce H2 in addition.

• Certain yeasts, e.g., Torula cremoris, Candida pseudotropicalis, and Torulopsis

sphacrica are reported in milk They, too, ferment lactose and produce CO2.
(iii) Ropy-milk Forming Bacteria:

• The conversion of liquid milk to viscous material by the action of microbes is

called ‘ropy fermentation’.

• These microorganisms synthesize a viscous polysaccharide material that forms a

slime layer or capsule around their cells.

• Alcaligenes viscolactis, Enterobacter aerogenes Streptococcus cremoris, and some

species of Micrococcus are responsible for ropy fermentation.

• Ropy milk is not deleterious to health but is usually objectionable due to its
appearance and is frequently used as the culture medium.
(iv) Proteolytic Bacteria:

• Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus var. mycoides, Pseudomonas putrefaciens, P.

viscosa, Streptococcus liquefaciens, and Proteus spp. are the proteolytic
bacteria present in the milk.

• These microorganisms hydrolyse milk protein and increase the pH.

• Proteolysis may be preceded by coagulation of the casein by the enzyme rennin

elaborated by bacteria resulting in the formation of soluble form of casein.

• Proteolysis degrades the casein to peptides which may be further degraded to

amino acids which are responsible for alkaline reaction and bitter taste of milk.
(v) Lipolytic Microorganisms:

• Some of the microorganisms produce enzyme (lipases) which split milk fat
to glycerol and fatty acids.

• Some of these fatty acids have a sharp flavour which causes imparting
rancid flavour and-odour to milk.

• Lipolytic microorganisms present in the milk are the bacteria Pseudomonas

fluorescens, Achromobacter lipolyticum; yeasts, e.g., Candida lipolytica;
and moulds, e.g., Pencillium spp. and Geotrichum candidum.
2. Temperature Characteristic Types:

• On the basis of their optimum temperature for growth and heat

resistance, the bacteria encountered in milk are of the following four
types:

(i) Psychrophilic.

(ii) Mesophilic.

(iii) Thermoduric and

(iv) Thermophilic.
(i) Psychrophilic Bacteria:

• Psychrophilic bacteria (also called cryophilic) grow best at relatively low

temperatures, usually below 10°C.

• Pasteurized milk stored in refrigerator may be satisfactorily preserved for a week

or even longer. But eventually, microbial deterioration manifested by ‘off’
flavour or odour will become evident because of the accumulation of metabolic
products of psychrophilic bacteria.

• The latter can be exemplified by species of Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium,

Alcaligenes, and some coliform bacteria.
(ii) Mesophilic Bacteria:

• Mesophilic bacteria grow best between 10°C and 45°C, usually at 25-40°C.

• Lactic streptococci and some coliform bacteria are the examples.

• These are mainly the ‘acid producing types’.

• In addition to acid they may produce gas that results in ‘off’ flavours in
milk.

• Streptococcus lactis var. maltigenes produce a malty or caramel taint.

Pseudomonas icthyosmia, however, imparts a fishy flavour.
(iii) Thermoduric Bacteria:

• Thermoduric bacteria survive pasteurization in considerable numbers but do

not grow at pasteurization temperatures. Since they are not killed by
pasteurization, they may contaminate, the containers.

• As a result of the faulty cleaning of the containers, the subsequent batches of

milk processed through the same containers will become heavily
contaminated.

• Microbacterium lacticum, Micrococcus luteus. Streptococcus thermophilus,

and Bacillus subtilis exemplify this category.
(iv) Thermophilic Bacteria:

• Thermophilic bacteria develop best at 55-65°C with minimum and

maximum of 40°C and 80°C respectively.

• Bacillus stearothermophilus is an example of this type.

3. Pathogenic Types:

• A variety of diseases are potentially transmissible through milk. The

source of disease causing microorganisms occurring in milk may be
either the dairy cattle or humans.

• Diseases transmitted through milk either from infected cows or

other sources are listed below:
1 Salmonella

• Salmonella are among the main causes of food poisoning. Salmonella

are killed by pasteurization; raw milk and dried milk products are
vulnerable, though.
• Gram-negative short rods with peritrichous flagella; 0.5 - 0.7 x 1.0 -
3.0 !m.

• Facultative anaerobe.

• Salmonellae can grow in the temperature range of 7 - 48 °C.

• Salmonellae are quite resistant to freezing, Salmonella enteritidis were

isolated from ice cream held at -23 °C for 7 years, and may survive in
some foods for a number of years.
2 Listeria

• Contaminations with Listeria monocytogenes have been a major

problem for the dairy industry recently.
• Listeria monocytogenes can cause mastitis in cows, from which large

number of bacteria can be shed in the milk..

• They are gram +ve short rod shaped bacteria.

• They appear cocco-bacillary in clinical materials.

• They are small and slender.

• They are 1-3 µm long and 0.5 µm broad.

• They are non-sporing and non-capsulated.

• At, 35-37°C, they are non-motile.

• At 25°C, they are motile and exhibit a tumbling motility.

• They possess polar flagella (peritrichous) at 25°C.

• Thirteen serotypes are found.

3 E. coli

• Certain species of the bacterium E. coli produce shigatoxin which may

cause symptoms like diarrhea and stomach pain, sometimes even
leading to life-threatening complications like hemolytic-uremic
syndrome. Although E. coli are killed by pasteurization, infections due
to milk products occur time and again.
• E. coli is gram negative (-ve) rod shaped bacteria.

• It is 1-3 x 0.4-0.7 µm in size and 0.6 to 0.7 µm in volume.

• It is arranged singly or in pairs.

• It is motile due to peritrichous flagella.

• Some strains are non-motile.

• Some strains may be fimbriated.

• They are non-sporing.

• hey are facultative anaerobes.

• Growth occurs over a wide range of temperature from 15-45°C.

• E. coli possess 4 antigens; H, O, K and F.

4 Pseudomonas

• Pseudomonads are opportunistic pathogens. The species Pseudomonas

fluorescens is among the most common spoilage agents in milk. The
enzymes produced by pseudomonads are heat-stable and can survive
pasteurization.
• Pseudomonas is rod shaped, slender (0.5 to 0.8 μm by 1.5 to 3.0 μm)
Gram negative organism, motile by polar flagella, sometimes more
than two flagella may be present.
5 Bacillus cereus

• The bacterium Bacillus cereus causes spoilage of cream, cheese and

milk and makes them taste rancid, sour or bitter. In addition, it
produces toxins which may cause serious gastrointestinal disorders.
Strict adherence to the cold chain is essential to prevent the bacteria
from multiplying. Spores of Bacillus cereus can survive heat
treatment.
• Bacillus cereus is gram positive rod shaped bacilli with square ends.

• Occasionally may appear gram variable or even gram negative with age.

• They are single rod shaped or appears in short chains.

• They are non-capsulated.

• It contains spores with central spores.

• Spores are oval (ellipsoidal) and not swelling the mother cell; and not
formed in the animals blood and tissues or in aerobic culture.
• It is 1×3-4 µm in size.

• It is motile and flagellated with peritrichous flagella.

• Endospores are able to survive long periods of exposure to air and

other adverse environmental conditions.

• It is beta-hemolytic bacterium which causes food borne disease.

• Its virulence factors include cerolysin and phospholipase.

6 Clostridium

• Clostridia form heat-resistant spores which can survive pasteurization

at least partially. The species Clostridium tyrobutyricum is particularly
feared in dairy production, because it causes so-called late blowing in
raw milk cheese. Affected cheese is no longer saleable. Clostridia
usually get into the milk via infected feed, hay or feces.
• Clostridium perfringens is large rectangular gram positive bacilli with

rounded or truncated ends.

• It is pleomorphic with straight or curved rods.

• Size is about 3-8 µm X 0.4-1.2 µm.

• It is capsulated, non-motile and non-flagellated pathogenic bacteria.

• It contains spores with central or sub-terminal spores but spores are

rarely seen.
• Endospores are able to survive long periods of exposure to air and

other adverse environmental conditions.

• It is heat resistant anaerobic bacterium.

• It have a protective thick cell wall made up of peptidoglycan.

7 Campylobacter

• Campylobacter, especially the species C. jejuni, ranks alongside

salmonella as one of the main causes of foodborne diarrheal diseases.
It doesn’t need more than 500 germs to get to an infection. In most
cases, Campylobacter affects raw milk.
• Gram-negative spirally curved rods; 0.2 - 0.8 x 0.5 - 5.0 !m.

• Campylobacter is both microaerophilic and 'capnophilic' (liking

carbon dioxide); its growth is favoured by an atmosphere containing
10% carbon dioxide and 5 -6% oxygen.

• Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli only grow at

temperatures above about 30°C; they (and Campylobacter lari) are
consequently referred to as the thermophilic group of Campylobacters.
• Their optimum temperature for growth is between 42 and 43 °C, with
a maximum of 45°C (8).

• Campylobacter survives poorly at room temperatures (around 20 -

23°C); it dies much more quickly than at refrigeration temperatures
Campylobacter has an optimum pH for growth in the range 6.5 - 7.5
and no growth is observed below pH 4.9.