title: Antilisterial activity of lactose monolaurate in milk, drinkable yogurt and cottage cheese.
abstract: Lactose monolaurate (LML) was previously found to be an antimicrobial against Listeria monocytogenes in culture medium at concentrations between 3 and 5 mg ml(-1) . In this study, the microbial inhibitory activity of LML in dairy products inoculated with a 5-strain cocktail of clinical isolates of L. monocytogenes was investigated. Addition of LML at a concentration of 5 mg ml(-1) resulted in 4.4, 4.0 and 4.2 log reductions in 0.5% fat, 1% fat and 3.25% fat milks, respectively; 4.1, 4.4, and 3.5 log reductions in nonfat, 1% fat, and 1.5% fat yogurts, respectively; and 4.0 log reductions in both nonfat and 2% fat cottage cheese. The inhibitory effect of LML was only observed at 37°C and not 5°C. Experiments suggest that both the lauric acid and the esterified lactose moiety of LML play roles in the growth inhibition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel sugar ester, lactose monolaurate, inhibited the growth of a five-strain cocktail of Listeria monocytogenes in milk, yogurt and cottage cheese. This is the first report of the use of a sugar ester to inhibit the growth of Listeria in food systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nummer
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002611:Cheese / Q000382:microbiology*; D007785:Lactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007848:Laurates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007850:Lauric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D050296:Microbial Viability; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*; D011136:Polysorbates / Q000494:pharmacology; D015014:Yogurt / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007848:Laurates; D007850:Lauric Acids; D011136:Polysorbates; C586923:lactose monolaurate; C030358:lauric acid; D007785:Lactose
keywords: Listeria monocytogenes; cottage cheese; growth inhibition; lactose monolaurate; milk; sugar esters; yogurt