Molecular Identification and Quantification of Tetracycline and Erythromycin Resistance Genes in Spanish and Italian Retail Cheeses
Table 3
Microbial counts () of the total and antibiotic resistant bacterial populations found in samples of ten Italian cheeses.
Culture mediuma
Cheese
Gorgonzola “dolce”
Gorgonzola “piccante”
Caprino*
Quartirolo Lombardo
Pecorino Sardo*
Grana Padano*
Montasio*
Monte Veronese*
Asiago*
Taleggio*
PCMA
7.78
8.70
8.23
6.00
6.00
8.04
7.38
8.63
7.36
8.34
PCMA + Tc
5.04
4.48
3.00
2.05
<2.0b
3.60
<2.0
3.00
4.60
<2.0
PCMA + Erm
6.00
<2.0
<2.0
2.85
5.30
<2.0
<2.0
5.45
2.48
2.70
MRS
6.40
7.60
8.30
6.38
5.30
7.00
7.63
8.15
5.00
6.70
MRS + Tc
4.08
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
3.60
2.00
<2.0
3.67
<2.0
MRS + Erm
3.08
3.01
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
3.73
<2.0
SB
5.46
5.21
<2.0
6.00
4.88
3.60
4.41
3.20
5.30
2.00
SB + Tc
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
2.30
<2.0
3.78
2.00
2.78
2.00
<2.0
SB + Erm
2.48
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
2.00
<2.0
2.00
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
BPA
5.95
5.44
<2.0
3.90
<2.0
3.97
2.60
3.78
<2.0
2.85
BP + Tc
3.78
2.48
<2.0
3.23
<2.0
3.60
2.00
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
BP + Erm
3.00
<2.0
<2.0
2.48
<2.0
<2.0
<2.0
3.00
<2.0
<2.0
Culture media used for counting of different bacteria groups: PCMA for total mesophilic bacteria, MRS for lactic acid bacteria, SB for enterococci, and BP for staphylococci and micrococci. Antibiotics utilized to supplement the culture media: Tc, tetracycline and Erm, erythromycin.
bCounts below the detection limit (2.0 ).
*Cheeses made from raw milk.
