However, there is good evidence that any pathogens present are unlikely to survive the cheese production process. In this exercise the most resistant strain for each species was selected and the amounts were added to obtain 104 - 106 cfu. The results showed that none of the inoculated potentially pathogenic bacteria, except for a low number of Staphylococcus aureus could be found in the experimental hard cheese one day after manufacture. All subsequent determinations were free of potentially pathogenic bacteria and toxins. It is important to have an effective starter culture both to provide good quality cheese and to prevent the growth of pathogens.
Lactic acid is especially effective in combating pathogenic bacteria.
It should be apparent that the case for requiring all cheese to be made from pasteurised milk does not stand up to rigorous examination. What is undoubtedly crucial is to ensure that appropriate measures specifically geared to the nature of the process are applied across the whole cheese production line. Blind faith in pasteurisation is likely to lead to more problems than it solves and to limit efforts to improve total hygiene in food production. The reality is that any risk assessment will show quite clearly that the risks associated with cheese made from raw milk are very low. Obviously, the number linked to cheese of all types would be even smaller.