INCIDENCE AND IDENTIFICATION OF PHOSPHOLIPASE C-PRODUCING BACTERIA IN FRESH AND SPOILED HOMOGENIZED MILK

Bacteria which produced phospholipase C were isolated from 13 of 34 fresh and 15 of 35 spoiled samples of homogenized milk. No single off flavor was assigned consistently to samples with phospholipase producers, but 75% of them were bitter. Pseudomonads constituted 62% of the isolates. Other phospholipase C-producing genera and their numbers were 2 Acinetobacter, 3 Alcaligenes, 2 Bacillus, 1 Citrobacter, 3 Enterobacter and 2 Flavobacterium. Two unidentified yeasts were isolated.