323. Observations on cheese starters with reference to bacteriophage and the phageorganism relationships of strains isolated

Abstract

1. Frequent examination of the mother and bulk starters from several cheese-making creameries during the 1942 season has shown bacteriophage to be prevalent in some factories and apparently absent from others. Outbreaks of phage attack could not be correlated with heat treatment of the cheese milk, and were geographically widespread over the country.2. The phage-organism relationships of these starter strains and their phage races were studied, and on this basis it was possible to arrive at the relationship and in some cases the identity of some of the strains circulating in commerce. It was found that for the isolation of some phaging strains, milk was a more sensitive medium than broth. Commercial starters appear to be composed of more than one distinct strain, and no starter can be judged by the reactions of one of its component strains.The nascent phage phenomenon was found not to be common in the selected starter strains. The reaction itself may, however, possibly be used to demonstrate fundamental relationships between strains.