A Pigment-producing Spoilage Bacterium Responsible for Violet Discoloration of Refrigerated Market Milk and Cream1

Abstract

A psychrophilic strain of bacteria identified as Chromobacterium lividum was established as the causative agent of an outbreak of violet discoloration in refrigerated, pasteurized retail milk and cream. The organism was rod-shaped, gram-negative, and produced viscid colonies with abundant violet pigment on Tryptone glucose yeast extract agar. Growth was abundant at 4 C but none occurred at 37 C. Growth in milk was characterized by a dark violet ring at the surface after a few days, and the deep violet color gradually extended through the product in older cultures. Some proteolysis occurred. The pigment appeared to be similar to that of other known species of Chromobacterium and assisted in identification of the genus of the causative organism. The isolated strain of C. lividum was destroyed by exposure to 56 C for 5 min which suggested postpasteurization contamination as the source of the spoilage organism in commercial milk and cream.