Table 3.
Seasonal influence on microbial counts (log CFU/g) during aging of Chihuahua cheese manufactured with raw milk.
| Microbial Group/Season | Autumn | Winter | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliforms | 3.3 ± 2.3 b | 3.9 ± 2.1 b | 5.1 ± 2.2 a |
| Mold | 3.1 ±1.6 ab | 2.7 ± 1.7 b | 3.6 ± 1.7 a |
| Yeast | 4.7 ± 1.2 a | 5.6 ± 1.3 a | 5.5 ± 1.6 a |
| Presumptive staphylococci | 1.9 ± 1.9 b | 2.2 ± 2.2 b | 4.1 ± 2.0 a |
| Mesophilic lactobacilli | 7.3 ±1.4 b | 7.7 ± 1.6 a | 7.9 ± 1.2 a |
| Thermophilic lactobacilli | 7.0 ± 1.3 b | 6.9 ± 0.6 b | 7.5 ± 0.5 a |
| Presumptive lactococci. | 5.6 ± 2.3 b | 6.9 ± 1.4 a | 7.1 ± 1.6 a |
| Thermophilic cocci | 5.0 ± 2.6 c | 6.0 ± 1.2 b | 6.8 ± 1. 5 a |
| Presumptive enterococci. | 6.4 ± 1.5 b | 5.8 ± 1.2 c | 7.5 ± 0.5 a |
Microbial counts on each season are expressed as mean values ± standard deviation for each microorganism obtained from counts of five cheeses during a period of 270 days of ripening. Means with different letter within each microbial group are significantly different (p < 0.05) according to Tukey mean analysis.