The present study was aimed to select potential probiotic and functional strains among lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from some artisanal Egyptian dairy products. For this, 75 samples comprising karish (fresh skimmed), mish (aged salted skimmed) and Domiati (brined ripened) cheese varieties were surveyed in this study. Approximately, 300 lactic acid bacterial (LAB) strains were isolated and initially screened for their antibacterial activity against the two common food-borne pathogens; Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Using cell free extract of isolated LAB strains, various antimicrobial inhibition patterns have been noted against the tested pathogens. Upon further proteolytic and neutralization treatments, only 16 strains were proved to have potent antimicrobial attribute. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing identification of those 16 strains, 8 different species were identified (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lb. fermentum, Pediococcus acidilacticii and Enterococcus faecium). Additionally, those 16 strains were tested for different probiotic, functional and safety criteria (acid and bile resistance, salt tolerance, milk acidification ability, heamolytic activity and antibiotic sensitivity).  The present study showed that artisanal Egyptian artisanal chesses were proven to be sources of safe potentially probiotic LAB with interesting physiological properties, thus it could be further incorporated in manufacture of various dairy products as starter and non-starter cultures.

The present study aimed to detect the prevalence and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of Escherichia coli in raw milk and some dairy products (white soft cheese, yoghurt, and Laban rayeb) in Mansoura city, Egypt. A total of 200 samples, obtained equally from raw milk (farm and market milk), white soft cheese (Kareish and Domiati), yoghurt (small scale and large scale), and Laban rayeb (small scale and large scale) were examined for the presence of E. coli by using eosin methylene blue agar (EMB). Suspected E. coli isolates were confirmed by biochemical tests and then selected numbers of E. coli strains were identified serologically. Furthermore, serologically identified strains were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity testing. In total, the prevalence of E. coli recovered from the examined raw milk and dairy products samples was 28% (56/200). The highest prevalence was detected in raw market milk (52%), followed by Kareish cheese (48%) while, the lowest prevalence was obtained in large-scale yoghurt and large-scale Laban rayeb samples (8%). The selected numbers of E. coli strains subjected to serologic examination showed variable somatic and H antigens. About 58.8% of E. coli strains showed multi-antibiotic resistance (MAR) criteria at least to one antimicrobial in three different classes of antibiotics. The highest resistance was obtained from erythromycin (100%) then oxacillin (94%), cefepime (82%), penicillin G (76.5%), and ampicillin (58.5%), nalidixic acid (52.9%) and cefazolin (47.1%). the obtained results show the great hazard proposed to public health, therefore, the application of hygienic measures in all practices concerning dairy industry from farm to fork is not just advice but a necessity to maintain human health.

One of the most common food poisoning illnesses globally is caused by Bacillus cereus, which causes emetic and diarrheal food poisoning. Forty–two (42%) out of 100 samples from raw milk, powdered milk, ice cream, and pasteurized milk were positive for B. cereus, with a high prevalence in raw milk at 64%. Three virulence genes (nheA, cytK, and hblC genes) were characterized among 42 B. cereus isolates with variable frequencies. Detection of the nheA gene showed a high level of 90.4%, followed by the cytK gene in percentage at 50%, and the hblC gene at 47.6%. All examined strains were resistant to Penicillin, Oxacillin, then Cefixime and Ampicillin (85.7%), followed by Nalidixic acid (73.8%), Sulphamethoxazol-Trimethoprim(61.9%), and Oxytetracycline and Cephalotin (52.3%) whilst sensitive to Gentamicin (75%), followed by Enrofloxacin and Erythromycin (50%). Unfortunately, all examined strains are MDR and show 23 resistance patterns, this represents a real health malice for the people of Egypt. The obtained results demonstrated the rise of pathogenic B. cereus, a virulent organism that is multidrug-resistant, in Egypt's retail milk and milk products.