Psychrotrophic bacteria
Encyclopedia
Psychrotrophic bacteria are bacteria
that are capable of surviving or even thriving in a cold environment. They can be found in soils, in surface and deep sea waters, in Antarctic ecosystems, and in foods.
Psychrotrophic bacteria are of particular concern to the dairy industry. Most are killed by pasteurization; however, they can be present in milk as post-pasteurization contaminants due to less than adequate sanitation practices. According to The Food Science Department at Cornell University
, psychrotrophs are bacteria capable of growth at temperatures at or less than 7°C (44.6°F). At freezing temperatures, growth of pyschrotrophic bacteria becomes negligible or virtually stops.
Psychrotrophic bacteria also fall under the more general category of psychrophiles.
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
that are capable of surviving or even thriving in a cold environment. They can be found in soils, in surface and deep sea waters, in Antarctic ecosystems, and in foods.
Psychrotrophic bacteria are of particular concern to the dairy industry. Most are killed by pasteurization; however, they can be present in milk as post-pasteurization contaminants due to less than adequate sanitation practices. According to The Food Science Department at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, psychrotrophs are bacteria capable of growth at temperatures at or less than 7°C (44.6°F). At freezing temperatures, growth of pyschrotrophic bacteria becomes negligible or virtually stops.
Psychrotrophic bacteria also fall under the more general category of psychrophiles.