A study was conducted to investigate the use of bacterial numbers and metabolites for their Value in predicting potential shelf-life of pasteurized fluid milk. The study consisted of two phases. In the first phase, chemical inhibitors were evaluated for their ability to allow growth of gram-negative psychrotrophic bacteria while inhibiting growth of gram-positive organisms. Crystal violet, benzalkonium chloride, a mixture of crystal violet and benzalkonium chloride, and alkylaryl sulfonate were tested. These were incubated with milk samples separately inoculated with gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, at 2l°C for 18 hours. Alkylaryl sulfonate allowed growth of gram-positive organisms. Crystal violet inhibited gram-positive organisms but was not as effective as the mixture of crystal violet and benzalkonium chloride, The inhibitor of choice was benzalkonium chloride as it inhibited growth of all gram-positive organisms tested and allowed growth of the gram-negative psychrotrophic organisms. / Master of Science