Enumeration and confirmation of Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas caviae, and Aeromonas sobria isolated from raw milk and other milk products in northern Greece

A total of 138 raw cow's and 57 raw ewe's milk samples; 80 pasteurized cow's milk samples; 39 Anthotyros cheese, 36 Manouri cheese, and 23 Feta cheese samples; and 15 rice pudding samples were examined for the presence and any countable population of Aeromonas species. Twenty-two (15.9%) of the 138 cow's milk samples analyzed were contaminated with A. hydrophila. In 13 of these samples, populations of 3.0 x 10(2) to 5.0 x 10(3) CFU/ml were counted in starch ampicillin agar (SAA). Eighteen cow's milk samples (13.0%) were contaminated with A. caviae, and in eight of these samples, populations of 2.0 x 10(2) to 3.0 x 10(3) CFU/ml were counted in SAA. Five cow's milk samples (3.6%) were contaminated with A. sobria, and in two of these samples, populations of 2.5 x 10(3) and 5.0 x 10(3) CFU/ml were counted in SAA. Eleven cow's milk samples (7.9%) were contaminated with other Aeromonas spp. not classified. Eight (14.0%) of the 57 ewe's milk samples analyzed were contaminated with A. hydrophila. In these samples, populations of 5.0 x 10(2) to 5.0 x 10(3) CFU/ml were counted in SAA. Six ewe's milk samples (10.5%) were contaminated with A. caviae, and populations of 1.5 x 10(2) to 1.0 x 10(3) CFU/ml were counted in SAA. Two ewe's milk samples (3.5%) were contaminated with A. sobria, and populations counted in SAA were 5.0 x 10(2) and 1.0 x 10(3) CFU/ml. Four samples (7.0%) were contaminated with other Aeromonas spp. not classified. A. hydrophila was recovered in 4 (10.2%) and 3 (8.3%) of the Anthotyros and Manouri cheese samples analyzed, respectively, but no countable populations were noted in SAA. None of the pasteurized milk, Feta cheese, and rice pudding samples yielded Aeromonas spp. The results of this work indicate that motile Aeromonas are common in raw milk in Greece. Also, the presence of A. hydrophila in the whey cheeses Anthotyros and Manouri indicates that postprocessing contaminations of these products with motile Aeromonas may occur during production.