outbreaks of food poisoning in the United
States caused by cheese, nearly all involving
contamination of the milk or cheese after
pasteurization. In Europe, where young raw-
milk cheeses are still legal in some countries,
most outbreaks have also been caused by
pasteurized cheeses. Cheeses in general
present a relatively low risk of food
poisoning. Because any soft cheese contains
enough moisture to permit the survival of
various human pathogens, both pasteurized
and unpasteurized versions are probably best
avoided by people who may be especially
vulnerable to infection (pregnant women, the
elderly and chronically ill). Hard cheeses are
inhospitable to disease microbes and very
seldom cause food poisoning.
Storage Molds In addition to the usual disease
microbes, the molds that can grow on cheese
are of some concern. When cheeses are held
in storage for some time, toxin-producing