This research aimed to evaluate the contamination by staphylococci and its enterotoxins as well as to monitor the conditions of hygiene from a coalho cheese production line, using ATP bioluminescence assay. Staphylococcus sp. population varied from <1CFU mL-1, in pasteurized milk to 1.5 x 107CFU mL-1, in raw milk, whereas coagulase-positive staphylococci count ranged from <1CFU mL-1, in pasteurized milk to 5.0 x 106CFU mL-1 in raw milk. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were detected in 100% (25/25) of the raw milk samples and in 8% (2/25) of cheese samples. Twelve Staphylococcus species were identified within the selected 68 isolates, being nine negative and three positive for coagulase. Raw milk samples showed a high rate of coagulase-positive, being S. aureus the most common, whereas other product samples and equipment surfaces, pieces of furniture, utensils and manipulator gloves samples presented a high frequency of coagulase-negative and low frequency of coagulase-positive. Staphylococcal enterotoxin was detected in 20% of the raw milk samples and therefore in pasteurized milk, curd and cheese. ATP measurement permitted to assess the effectiveness of the surfaces cleaning, being considered adequate in 62.1% (36/95), "alert state" in 23.2% (22/95) and inadequate in 14.7% (14/95) of surfaces evaluated. Detection of staphylococci species with enterotoxigenic potential as well as enterotoxin presence reveal dissemination of contamination at the "coalho" cheese production line, possibly due inappropriate Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) from the initial milking step until the final cheese production.
pathogen; food poisoning; dairy products; Staphylococcus sp
