Assessment of bacteriological quality of milk and milk products sold at Bikaner city and its public health significance

Abstract

In the present study, a total of 480 milk and milk product samples comprising 220 raw milk, 80 pasteurized milk, 60 ice-cream, 60 lassi, 30 butter and 30 paneer collected from dairy farms, milk vendors and dairy shops and analyzed to assess bacteriological quality in relation to Standard Plate Count (SPC) and coliform count. In raw milk (n=220), SPC ranged from 4.47 to 7 log₁₀ cfu/ml with a mean of 6.06±0.03. Only 48.6% samples complied with FSSAI standards, while 51.4% exceeded permissible limits. Coliform contamination was high, with 85% samples showed counts >10/ml (mean 2.99±0.10 log₁₀ cfu/ml), indicating poor hygienic practices during production and handling. In pasteurized milk (n=80), SPC ranged from 2.47 to 5.44 log₁₀ cfu/ml with a mean of 4.30±0.03; 11.2% samples failed to meet standards. However, 95% samples were satisfactory for coliform count (