Cheddar cheese slices, surface-inoculated with either Penicillium cyclopium or Aspergillus ochraceus spores, were vacuum packaged and irradiated using an electron beam accelerator. Following treatment at .21 and .52 kGy, the shelf-life of cheese containing P. cyclopium was extended by 3 and 5.5 d, respectively, in comparison with inoculated, untreated samples. Under similar treatment and storage conditions, cheese containing A. ochraceus exhibited average shelf-life extensions of 42.5 and 52.2 d, respectively. Increasing the postirradiation storage temperature to 15 degrees C reduced the shelf-life of cheese, especially with samples containing A. ochraceus. The lowest dose required to inactivate ca. 50 to 60 spores/cm2 of either A. ochraceus or P. cyclopium on the surface of cheese was ca. .42 and .95 kGy, respectively. Irradiation survival curves of A. ochraceus and P. cyclopium spores in cheese yielded average values (the dose required to reduce initial population by 90%) of .21 and .42 kGy, respectively.

The survival of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus during the production of khoa, a heat concentrated Indian milk‐based product, was investigated. Heat processing of milk containing from 3.6 to 6.5% fat at either 63 or 73C eliminated all E. coli. Under similar processing conditions, S. aureus was recovered, but only when heated in milk at 63C containing 6.5% fat. Potassium sorbate (3000 ppm) appeared more effective in inhibiting the growth of selected yeast and molds in khoa at 7C, compared to ascorbic acid (3000 ppm). Reducing the water activity (aw) of khoa from 0.97 to 0.93 did not appear to enhance the preservative effect. The reduction of E. coli or S. aureus in khoa during prolonged storage at 6–7C, was less than one log cycle, regardless of awor preservative type. Survival of S. aureus in khoa appeared to be enhanced with a decrease in aw. The potential for pathogens to survive in khoa during processing should be taken into consideration when formulating heating protocols.