Abstract
Milk and dairy products are susceptible to the incidence of foodborne illnesses by numerous pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, enteropathogenic Campylobacter jejuni, Yersinia enterocolitica, Cronobacter (Enterobacter sakazakii) and Staphylococcus aureus. Annually Salmonella infections cause approximately 93.8 million cases of gastroenteritis and 155,000 deaths worldwide. Including meat and poultry, dairy products are the most commonly contaminated foods by Salmonella. Studies show that Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes are among the top 5 pathogens causing hospitalization and life-threatening foodborne illnesses. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that annually around 1.2 million foodborne illnesses with more than 23,000 hospitalizations, 450 deaths and 130 outbreaks were attributed to Salmonella infection in the U.S. The Salmonella enteric in skim milk powder survived at three months storage, with water activity as low as 0.33. With respect to Escherichia coli O157:H7, it is capable of causing disease at a low dosage, ranging from 5–50 cells. Viable cells of Escherichia coli O157:H7 reportedly survive in infant formula powder for one year at 5 °C. The survivability of Escherichia coli in powder milk was significantly reduced with the synergistic effects of storage time and temperature. The U.S. Dairy Export Council recommends that milk powder should be stored in a cool and dry place, at a temperature not to exceed 27 °C, and a relative humidity not to exceed 65%. Reports have recommended that milk powder products need to be stored in light, oxygen, and moisture-proof containers. In this article, the survival of the major foodborne pathogens including Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in powdered milk products from common dairy species such as cow and goats are reviewed.
Highlights
In a food safety perspective, dry foods, such as powdered milk, are often considered to be safe from microbial contamination, since harmful microorganisms cannot sustain or grow in dry foods due to low moisture content and water activity [1,2]
The objective of this paper is to review the survivability of the major foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in powdered milk products, as well as to evaluate the storage stability of dehydrated milk products in relation to food safety
Studies have revealed that Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, and Clostridium botulinum are the top 5 pathogens that cause hospitalization and as well as life-threatening foodborne illnesses present in dehydrated milk products [21]
Summary
In a food safety perspective, dry foods, such as powdered milk, are often considered to be safe from microbial contamination, since harmful microorganisms cannot sustain or grow in dry foods due to low moisture content and water activity [1,2]. Salmonella is one of the known pathogens in milk, and belongs to the family of Enterobacteriaceae, which are rod-shaped, Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic bacteria, and can use glucose for fermentation [5]. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is another major foodborne pathogen in milk and its products causing serious illness. Viable cells of Escherichia coli O157:H7 are capable of surviving in infant formula powder for as long as one year at a storage temperature of 5 ◦ C [11]. The objective of this paper is to review the survivability of the major foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in powdered milk products, as well as to evaluate the storage stability of dehydrated milk products in relation to food safety
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