Psychrotrophic bacteria

Psychrotrophic bacteria are bacteria that are capable of surviving or even thriving in a cold environment. They provide an estimation of the product's shelf life, also they can be found in soils,^[1] in surface and deep sea waters,^[2] in Antarctic ecosystems,^[3] and in foods.^[4] They are responsible for spoiling refrigerated foods.

Psychrotrophic bacteria are of particular concern to the dairy industry.^[5] Most are killed by pasteurization; however, they can be present in milk as post-pasteurization contaminants due to less than adequate sanitation practices. According to The Food Science Department at Cornell University, psychrotrophs are bacteria capable of growth at temperatures at or less than 7°C (44.6°F). At freezing temperatures, growth of psychrotrophic bacteria becomes negligible or virtually stops.^[6]

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