Effect of oxygen on the keeping quality of milk: II. Effect of available oxygen on bacterial spoilage and oxygen uptake

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Abstract
SUMMARY: The effect of limiting the amount of O2 present in commercially pasteurized milk on bacterial growth and on the keeping quality of the milk was investigated. No increase in bacterial count of laboratory pasteurized milk during storage for 9 d at 5 °C was observed and O2 consumption due to bacterial activity was low. In commercial pasteurized milk containing post-pasteurization contamination (PPC) growth of strict aerobes was encouraged by high O2 content while that of coliforms was less dependent on O2 level. The amounts of headspace (HS) O2 consumed in milk with PPC growth were large. Reducing the dissolved O2 content of commercial pasteurized milk stored in O2-impermeable containers without HS had little effect on bacterial activity and shelf-life.