FAQs on Bacteria

“Say cheese,” the photographer says, and the subject can’t help but smile. Indeed, both the word and the food  itself are something to smile about.  As an appetizer, sandwich entrée, or dessert with fruit, cheese is delicious, healthy, and generally a rather low-risk food as far as pathogens go. However, some cheeses can be a threat to  pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems due to illness, old age, or medical treatment.  But consumers can protect themselves if, before consuming or purchasing cheese, they pay attention to the type of cheese and the way it was processed.  Soft cheeses are more likely than hard ones to carry a possibly deadly bacterium, but that doesn’t mean that all soft cheeses are taboo for people in the high-risk categories.

By Susan Brewer, Ph.D., University of Illinois,
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition