Biofilm Formation on Silicone, Stainless Steel and Polystyrene of Escherichia coli Isolated from Bulk Tank Milk: Preliminary Results

摘要

There is a worldwide concern about the quality of milk offered for consumption. In Brazil, despite the advances obtained, much of the milk is still produced below the quality conditions. The presence of coliforms in the milk within the established limit, guarantees the effectiveness of the inactivation of the microorganisms during pasteurization. E. coli belongs to the normal gut microflora of humans and animals and exhibits considerable variety of virulence properties. Biofilms that grow in naturaland industrial environments are often resistant to chemically diverse biocides used to combat biological fouling in industrial processes (Costerton et al., 1995). Thus, biofilms represent both a problem within the farms, because they prevent the action of disinfecting agents on milking equipment, constantly releasing microorganisms and providing new infections to animals, as well as within the industrial environment, and may even lead to, milk contamination after heat treatment, such as pasteurization and UHT.