Heat sterilization reduced the abundance of each of the microbial groups except for B. cereus. In our laboratory. experiments indicated that the heat sterilization conditions used at the seven plants were sufficient to completely kill vegetative B cereus cells (initial population was approximately 7 log CFU/ml. data are not shown), B. cereus numbers are more effectively reduced in rice wine than in buffered saline ; this may reflect the harsher environment of wine (low pH and high alcohol content). Our results (no reduction in B cereus counts by heat treatment) indicate that B. cereus in present as spores and not as vegetative cells in the final rice wine products.