Survival of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Cheese

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Abstract
Persistence of foot-and-mouth disease virus [FMDV] during the manufacture of cheddar, mozzarella and Camembert cheese prepared from milk of cows experimentally infected with the virus was studied. [Imported cheeses may serve as vehicles for the introduction of FMDV into countries free of the disease]. Cheese samples were made on a laboratory scale with commercial lactic acid starter cultures and the microbial protease Marzyme [from Mucor miehei] as a coagulant. Milk was heated at different temperatures for different intervals before it was made into cheese. FMDV survived the acidic conditions of cheddar and Camembert cheese processing but not that of mozzarella. FMDV survived processing but not curing for 30 days in cheddar cheese prepared from heated milk. The virus survived curing for 60 days but not for 120 days in cheese (pH 5) prepared from unheated milk. FMDV survived in Camembert cheese (pH 5) for 21 days at 2.degree. C but not for 35 days.