Microbial Contamination of Milk and Dairy Products from Restaurants in Spain Isabel Sospedra, 1 Josep V. Rubert, 1 Carla Soler, 2 Jose M. Soriano, 1 and Jordi Man ˜ es 1 Abstract This study was carried out to evaluate the microbiological quality of milk and some dairy products, including 95 lots of warm milk, 95 lots of milk conserved at room temperature, and 75 lots of dairy products collected from restaurants in Spain. According to the European microbiological criteria (92=46=EEC, 93=43=EEC, and Commis- sion Regulation No. 2073=2005), 31% and 35% of the total examined lots exceed the adopted limits of mesophilic aerobic counts and Enterobacteriaceae, respectively. This may be due to incorrect handling of milk and dairy products and inadequate cleaning and sanitization of milk container. Further, 2% of all the lots examined were positive for the presence of Escherichia coli. All lots, however, were negative for Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. These results emphasize the need for applying and maintaining good hygienic practices in the restaurants. Introduction I n Spain, the per capita consumption of milk and dairy products is 79.8 L and 34.2 kg per year, respectively. In Spanish restaurants, per se 9.810 5 L and 1.510 5 kg of milk and dairy products, respectively, are consumed per year (Spanish Ministre of Agriculture, 2009). Nevertheless con- sumption of milk and dairy products is lower than the rec- ommendation of the Dietary Guidelines for the Spanish Population (Aranceta and Serra-Majem, 2001) and is associ- ated with health benefits beyond pure nutritional values (Steijns, 2008). This high level of nutrients in milk provides a suitable growth medium for several bacteria. The microor- ganisms can achieve high population densities following con- tamination during milk processing in the industrial kitchens to produce dairy products, and the shelf-life of the milk can decrease after the original package has been opened (Aygun and Pehlivanlar, 2006). For this reason, the hygienic quality of these products must be controlled to prevent increase or re- duce the microbial population and limit the risk of foodborne disease (ICMSF, 1998). A frequent concomitant finding is the poor microbiological quality of such samples resulting in high levels of indicator microorganisms, such as mesophilic aero- bic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae (Adesiyun et al., 2007). Proper food handlings after refrigeration or frozen storage of foods also deserve particular attention, since this will decrease the contamination level of products that are ready to eat without further processing (De Buyser et al., 2001). Recon- tamination after a heat process is another important factor and can occur before, during, or after cooling. In such cases it is necessary to distinguish between products that are ready to eat without a further culinary process (room-temperature milk and some dairy products) and those that undergo a thermal process that reduces the bacterial load before con- suming the food (hot milk) (Reyes et al., 2007). Control of microorganisms in dairy products worldwide is necessary to produce a safe product of the highest quality being pre- requisite programs and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans useful in the Dairy Products Safety System (Kassem et al., 2002; Lievaart et al., 2005). The aim of this study was to analyze the microbial quality, according to the European legislation (92=46=EEC, 93=43= EEC, and Commission Regulation No. 2073=2005), of milk and dairy products served in different Spanish restaurants. Materials and Methods Samples and sampling procedure A total of 265 lots were collected during 2007–2008 in dif- ferent restaurants from Valencia (Spain). Hygienic and un- hygienic practices in the preparation of these lots were studied according to Soriano et al. (2001). Analyzed products include raw and processed foods that are commonly con- sumed in these establishments (Rico et al., 2005). Lots taken were divided into three groups: 1. Warm milk: this was milk that had been warmed in metal jugs or that was kept warm in steel thermal flasks. Laboratories of 1 Food Chemistry and Toxicology and 2 Food Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Burjassot, Spain. FOODBORNE PATHOGENS AND DISEASE Volume 6, Number 10, 2009 ª Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089=fpd.2009.0337 1269