Author(s): Joseph Yanchar
Mentor(s): Richard Robison, Michael Moran
Institution BYU
Spore-forming bacteria, particularly those of the genera Bacillus and Paenibacillus, represent a significant biological barrier to extending the shelf life of fluid milk and related products due to their ability to survive pasteurization and subsequently induce spoilage. Nonthermal technologies such as microfiltration and bactofugation are currently used to remove spores from fluid milk, but these technologies are costly to acquire, install, and operate. Furthermore, they are not consistently effective. Additionally, in recent years, there has been a steady rise in consumer demand for dried milk powders, underscoring the need for stricter regulation of spore counts in these products. While spray drying inhibits the growth of many microorganisms in these products, spores can withstand this process and subsequently germinate upon reconstitution of milk powder in water, leading to spoilage and potential illness. In response, powdered milk processors are actively pursuing alternative nonthermal methods to lower spore counts, aiming to reduce economic losses and protect consumers from potential harm. The proposed research seeks to fill this need by investigating a novel method of lowering the numbers of spore-forming bacteria in milk products, namely the use of natural antimicrobial compounds produced by soil bacteria as biopreservatives in milk. Preliminary data suggest that many of the antimicrobial-producing bacterial strains that coresearchers and I are studying can inactivate spore-forming bacteria, as well as many other non-spore-forming pathogenic organisms, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative, that are associated with milk. Currently, we are in the process of extracting these antimicrobial compounds for further testing, with the ultimate goal of developing a cost-effective and efficient solution to enhance milk safety and quality.