Cereulide and diarrheal toxin contamination in milk and milk products: a systematic review

Abstract

Emetic and diarrheal toxins produced by endospore-forming Bacillus cereus causes a huge loss to dairy industry. Milk is the suitable medium for the growth of B. cereus. The pathogen is of particular concern in the dairy industry because in spite of aggressive cleaning practices performed by the dairy industry, it is impossible to destroy these hydrophobic spores which adhere to the pipelines of the dairy-processing plant and further these spores may also form biofilms in the milk. The reporting rate of illness caused by B. cereus is vague, usually due to the short duration of (<24 h) the diarrheal and emetic syndromes. The study of toxins production by B. cereus isolates is essential to better determine the methods of controlling these toxins in dairy industry.

• Bacillus cereus
• colony forming unit
• diarrheal toxin
• emetic toxin
• food-borne illness

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.