Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-rvbq7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-10T20:43:43.936Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microbiological aspects of goat's milk. A Public Health Laboratory Service survey*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2009

Diane Roberts
Diane Roberts
Affiliation:
Food Hygiene Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, 175 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

In a 12-month survey (June 1982–May 1983) 41 laboratories examined 2493 samples of goat's milk for colony counts and the presence of pathogens. The statutory tests for cow's milk were also applied.

Surface counts of < 105 organisms per ml of raw milk were given by 79% of samples at 37 °C and by 76% at 22 °C. There were < 100 coliforms per ml in 71% of samples, < 10 Escherichia coli per ml in 91%. Staphylococcus aureus was not detected in countable numbers in 96% of samples. Only one isolation of campylobacter was made and two of Yersinia enterocolitica. Salmonella was not detected in 2462 samples. The methylene blue test was carried out on 2368 samples and 86·7% were deemed satisfactory. No sample was Brucella ring-test-positive.

Experiments on the survival and growth of six food poisoning organisms in stored goat's milk showed that Bacillus cereus, Staph. aureus, Salmonella typhimurium and Y. enterocolitica survived quite well and multiplied at the higher storage temperature of 30 °C. Clostridium perfringens only increased 10- to 100-fold while Campylobacter jejuni did not grow.

The results of the survey indicate that any problems with goat's milk relate to poor hygiene during production rather than transmission of organisms from the goat herself.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 94 , Issue 1 , February 1985 , pp. 31 - 44
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

References

REFERENCES

Auclair, J. E. & Hirsch, A. (1953). The inhibition of microorganisms by raw milk. I. The occurrence of inhibitory and stimulatory phenomena. Methods of estimation. Journal of Dairy Research 20, 45–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolton, F. J. & Robertson, L. (1982). A selective medium for isolating Campylobacter jejuni/coli. Journal of Clinical Pathology 35. 462–467.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Burton, M. J. (1980). A survey of hygiene in goats' milk sproduction with special reference to Escherichia coli and coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureua. Environmental Health Dissertation, University of Bradford.Google Scholar
Cousins, C. M. (1980). Milk hygiene and milk taints. Paper given to the British Goat Veterinary Society, 26 09 1980.Google Scholar
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland (1984). Code of Practice on the hygiene control of goats' milk. Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Edel, W. & Kampelmacher, E. H. (1969). Salmonella isolation in nine European laboratories using a standardised technique. Bulletin of the World Health Organisation 41. 297–306.Google Scholar
Galbraith, N. S., Forbes, P. & Clifford, C. (1982). Communicable disease associated with milk and dairy products in England and Wales 1951–80. British Medical Journal 284. 1761–1765.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Great Britain (1977). The Milk (Special Designation) Regulations 1977. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office (Statutory Instrument No. 1033).Google Scholar
ICMSF (1978). Microorganisms in Foods. 1. Their significance and methods of enumeration, 2nd ed.Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.Google Scholar
ISO (1975). ISO (International Standard) 3505. Meat and Meat Products: Detection of Salmonellao (Reference Method).Google Scholar
Jensen, H. & Hughes, D. (1980). Public health aspects of raw goats' milk produced throughout New South Wales. Food Technology in Australia 32, 330–341.Google Scholar
Juhlin, I. & Ericson, C. (1961). A new medium for the bacteriologio examination of stools (LSU-agar). Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica 52, 185–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lewis, G. A. A. (1981). The public health significance of goats' milk. Diploma in Environmental Health Dissertation, Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham.Google Scholar
Mocquot, G. & Béjambes, M. (1959). Bacteriology of goats' milk and ewes' milk and their products. Dairy Science Abstracts 21, 531–537.Google Scholar
Skirrow, M. B. (1977). Campylobacter enteritis: a ‘new’ disease. British Medical Journal ii, 9–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Syska, B. (1980). Bacteriological studies on goats' milk. Environmental Health Dissertation, University of Bradford.Google Scholar
Taitz, L. S. & Armitage, B. L. (1984). Goats' milk for infants and children. British Medical Journal 288, 428–429.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tripp, J. H., Francis, D. E. M., Knight, J. A. & Harris, J. T. (1979). Infant feeding practices: a cause of concern. British Medical Journal iii, 707–709.CrossRefGoogle Scholar