ASSESSMENT OF BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND HYGIENIC PRACTICES OF RAW MILK FROM DAIRY FARMS AND VENDOR SHOPS IN DINAJPUR DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

Milk is a highly nutritious food to human and animals, but serves as an excellent growth medium for a wide range of microorganisms. The present cross sectional study was conducted from January to June 2020 with objective of assessing the hygienic practices and bacteriological quality of raw milk from dairy farms, and vendor shops in different settings of Dinajpur district. During the assessment a total of 45 respondents were interviewed to collect the required information from farmers and vendors about owner and workers „awareness about pre and post-harvest milk handling practices. The Physico-chemical analysis parameters were considered to evaluate the quality of milk samples. The organoleptic properties of milk such as color, flavor and texture were evaluated with the help of eyes, nose and mouth. Similarly, to clot on boiling test and Alcohol test was employed to test the quality of milk. Also, Methylene blue reduction test was used to grading milk from two sources and in all milk sample from vendor shops were grading as poor quality milk compared the milk from dairy producers. At the same time, milk samples were collected for laboratory analysis including bacterial load assessment with isolation and identification. The mean value of bacterial load was found higher in vending shops (8.1x109 (log 9.9 CFU/mL) followed 6×106 (log 6.4) CFU/mL Within dairy farms the mean values of bacterial load were highest value in small scale farms. Among current the milk samples collected, (48%) of the farm settings and (60%) of milk vending shops were graded as poor quality. In the course of this study, out of 45 samples 30 were found to be positive among bacteria belong to the five genera isolated. Among them the most frequent isolate was of Staphylococcus aureus (33.3%), E. coli (23.3%), Salmonella spp. (20%), Klebsiella spp. (14.2%) and Shigella spp. (10.7%). Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern showed that all the isolated bacteria were sensitive to Ciprofloxacin (CIP), Chloramphenicol (C), Levofloxacin (LE) followed by Cefixime(CFM) but resistant to Ampicillin(AMP) Azithromycin, Tetracycline (TE) which were showed very poor efficacies resistance on many isolates. Only Gentamycin (GEN) was intermediate antibiotic to Shigella spp. According to international standards of raw milk quality both of the above counts found to have values above the upper limits. The quality of milk consumed in the study area was found inferior quality according to the standard level. Thus, awareness should be strengthened on hygienic methods of production, handling, transportation and distribution of milk among all level of producers, milk vending shops and consumers in the town