Emulsifying salts and P2O5 content as promising strategies to control Bacillus cereus growth during storage of processed cheese

Bacillus contamination in processed cheese (PC) has been reported and can lead to substantial economic consequences. We investigated the ability of six emulsifying salt solutions, each containing phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), to inhibit the growth of B. cereus in PC. This study encompassed an assessment of the impact of PC processing methods (pasteurisation and creaming), storage temperature (6°C and 30°C) and storage time (up to 120 days). Our findings revealed that lower storage temperatures and the choice of emulsifying salt significantly influenced the B. cereus growth in PC. Notably, the creaming process and a higher P2O5 content demonstrated an enhanced inhibitory effect. This study underscores the potential effectiveness of appropriate emulsifying salts as a promising strategy for controlling B. cereus in PC. The inhibition of Bacillus cereus in processed cheese (PC) was evaluated and the data showed the inhibitory potential of emulsifying salts with higher P2O5 content. The type of emulsifying salt, the PC processing method and the PC storage temperature influenced bacterial growth.