Antibiotic in cheese rinds

Authorities complain about missing information and ignorance of consumers

08/19/2013

Biotechnologically derived natamycin (E 235) is widely used as a preservative and drug. On the human skin, on the mucous membrane or in the bark of cheese and sausage, it has an antibiotic effect and prevents fungi from spreading. It is therefore used as a broadband mycotic against, among others, athlete's foot and vagina fungus.

Conventional cheese is often treated with natamycin on the bark. The authorities criticize this lack of education to the consumer. For instance, the State Food Safety Authority of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern found natamycin in the bovine section in almost half of the cheese samples, as a spokeswoman announced on Monday in Rostock. In one case, even the maximum permitted quantity was exceeded. The Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) considers natamycin to be harmless on cheese and sausage casings if only the finished product is treated with natamycin and the residues on the surface are not greater than one milligram per square decimeter. Five millimeters below the surface, natamycin should no longer be detectable.

German experts see these values ​​considerably more critical than the EU leaders. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), however, agreed with the use of natamycin in cheese. However, they considered a treatment of sausage casings not necessary. From a microbiological and technological point of view, the German authorities believe that there is no need for treatment.

The current investigation has shown that five of the cheese samples „loose ware“ the antibiotic, which is also the abbreviation E 235, has not been identified in the delivery to the consumer. The laboratory samples took place in 2012 and 2013. (Fr)

Picture credits: Paul-Georg Meister