A recent study evaluated the effect of brine pH, salt level, storage temperature, and use of hydrogen peroxide to kill Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, salt-tolerant pathogens known to contaminate cheese brine. Commercial cheese brines are used repeatedly over extended periods, potentially for years, and can be a reservoir for salt-tolerant pathogens.

First, the researchers prepared four fresh cheese brines with 10 percent or 20 percent salt and 4.6 pH or 5.4 pH. The brines were inoculated with L. monocytogenes, treated with hydrogen peroxide at 0, 50, and 100 parts per million (ppm), and stored at 10 °C and 15.6 °C.