STUDIO DEI PERICOLI MICROBIOLOGICI NELLA PRODUZIONE DELLA MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA CAMPANA STUDY OF THE MICROBIOLOGICAL HAZARDS IN THE PRODUTION OF THE MOZZARELLA BUFFALO CHEESE

1 Servizio Veterinario Azienda USL Latina SUMMARY Water Buffalo Mozzarella is a typical Italian product certificated with the European Protected Designation of Origin (DOP). Cheese-associated food poisoning outbreaks have been reported worldwide but are not common if pasteurised milk is used and hygienic measures are applied during cheese processing. The study reports data of a survey on the hygienic (Aerobic mesophilic plate count, E. coli glucuronidase - positive, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcaceae and Staphylococci coagulase - positive) and sanitary quality (detection of Salmonella spp., Listeria spp., E. coli O:157 and staphylococcal enterotoxins) of the production Water Buffalo Moz- zarella. Our results are: no Salmonella spp., nor Listeria spp. and E.coli O:157 were found in all samples, but some samples of the rennet and the curd showed Staphylo- cocci coagulase - positive. Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Trichosporon asahii, Cryp- tococcus humicola, Staphyloccus aureus were found in the hands of the workers. The microbiological monitoring is necessary to assess biological risk and to set preventive measures.