[Proposal for microbiological criteria for the control of cheese spreads]. / Propuesta de criterios microbiológicos para el control de quesos fundidos.

Eighteen lots of processed cheese and processed cheese spread were analyzed. Results obtained for the yeasts and molds count (RHL) and the total coliforms count (RCT) were 88.9% inferior to 100 per gram, in the 90 subsamples studied. The fecal coliforms count (RCF) and the S. aureus count were, respectively, 96.6% and 94.4% inferior to 10 per gram, for the same subsamples. Taking into account the format presented by the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods and the results of our survey, a three class plan is proposed for the following microbiological tests: RHL (n = 5, c = 2, m = 100, M = 1000); RCT (n = 5, c = 2, m = 100, M = 1000); RCF (n = 5, c = 2, m = 10, M = 100); and S. aureus count (n = 5, c = 1, m = 100, M = 1000). Therefore, applying these microbiological specifications, 4 lots (22.2%) would be rejected.