3 lots of pasteurized milk artificially contaminated with approx. 10 Enteropatogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC)/ml, were used to manu facture Domiati cheese, after addition of sodium chloride (1,5,10%, respectively) and rennet. Cheese were stored in whey containing 15% sodium chloride at room temperature (25+10) and examined periodically for EPEC count, aerobic plate count, pH value and moisture and salt contents. EPEC increased in numbers by about two log cycles during the initial stages of manufacture of lot
1 and lot 2. However, the organism was not detectable after 2 and 4 weeks in these cheeses, respectively. The EPEC inoculated into cheese milk with 10% added salt persisted at numbers in excess of 200/g by the end of the fourth week. Progressive reduction in EPEC counts in all cheeses was associated with a significant drop in pH. The public health significance of these findings are discussed.