Microbial Quality and Safety of Raw Cow Milk in Girar Jarso District of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the quality and safety of raw cow milk collected from dairy producers and collection centers in urban and peri urban areas of Girar Jarso district. A total of 60 milk samples (40 from milk producers and 20 from milk collectors) were collected for physico-chemical, and microbial quality and safety analysis. The analyses were made at Dairy Technology and Microbiology Laboratory of Holetta Agricultural Research Center. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in temperature (29.75±0.52 and 22.35±0.52°C), pH (6.69±0.02 and 6.55±0.02), specific gravity (1.026±0.002 and 1.023±0.002) and fat content (4.02±0.10 and 3.75±0.14%) between producers and collection centers milk samples, respectively. The mean total aerobic mesophilic bacterial count (TAMBC), coliform count (CC) and spore forming bacterial count (SFBC) for milk samples collected from producers were 6.42±0.07, 4.49±0.09 and 2.59±0.05 log10 cfu/ml, respectively. However, significantly higher (P<0.05) bacterial counts were observed for milk samples taken from milk collectors (7.49 log10 cfu/ml) than that of producer milk samples (6.42 log10 cfu/ml). Out of a total milk samples collected from producers, 57, 7.5 and 15% were positive for Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, respectively. The microbial quality of milk produced and marketed in the study areas was found to be substandard and could cause public health risks for raw milk consumers. This calls for establishment and enforcement of quality and safety control systems for both milk producers and collectors in order to improve the quality and safety of milk.