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Milk, recognized worldwide as a nutritious and essential food, is susceptible to fraud that compromises its quality and poses health risks to consumers. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of adulteration in raw milk sold in Shahrekord City during both cold and hot seasons. A total of 100 raw milk samples were collected from distribution centers in Shahrekord and analyzed at the food hygiene laboratory of Shahrekord Azad University. Chemical parameters including water content, sodium bicarbonate, salt, formalin, hypochlorite, detergents, starch, and hydrogen peroxide were assessed for seasonal variations. Results indicated a significant difference in lactose levels between cold and hot seasons, while other parameters showed no statistically significant variance. Moreover, findings revealed a higher incidence of adulteration during the hot season compared to the cold season, with average adulteration percentages across both seasons as follows: water (54%), salt (35%), detergents (34%), starch (25%), formalin (14%), sodium bicarbonate (6%), hypochlorite (4%), and hydrogen peroxide (4%). Given these findings, relevant authorities must intensify oversight and regulatory measures to safeguard public health against milk fraud.

Background: Milk is a complex physiological and biological liquid that contains water, protein, lactose, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Milk proteins (lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase) are known to have antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects. More than half of the world's population consumes buffalo milk and milk products. Due to its unique properties, buffalo milk is highly regarded in developing countries and has been cultured in Iran for a long time. The main proteins of milk are casein and whey. Casein exists in the form of micelles, and 80% of milk proteins include alpha S1 casein, alpha S2 casein, beta casein, and kappa casein. Whey proteins comprise about 20% of milk proteins, which have four main components, including betalactoglobulin, alphalactalbumin, bovine serum albumin, and immunoglobulin. Lactoferrin, peptone protease, calmodulin, prolactin, and folate-binding proteins are also found in milk and are considered accessory proteins. Milk proteins have positive effects on different structures of the body, such as the immune, nervous, digestive, and cardiovascular systems. In addition, milk proteins are considered to contain a wide variety of biologically active peptides with superior nutritional and immunological activities. Therefore, obtaining complete information about the physicochemical properties of milk from different species and its nutritional value seems essential for liquid milk technology. Milk proteins have been analyzed continuously, and the information about this very important and complex system has been increasingly rising in recent years, mainly due to technological advances. In addition, the scope of research work on the analysis of proteins in milk has increased significantly due to the increased knowledge of bioactive proteins in milk. The present study aimed to measure the total protein values of cow and buffalo milk samples in the climatic conditions of Khuzestan province. The electrophoretic pattern of buffalo milk proteins was also compared with cow milk. Methods: Milk samples were collected from 30 apparently healthy cows and 30 buffaloes from the surrounding villages of Shushtar City and cattle farms of Masjid Suleiman City. Raw milk proteins were then evaluated by the Kjeldahl method. To measure milk proteins, milk was first digested with the addition of sulfuric acid with gentle heat. Complete digestion continued until the milk became colorless. After cooling, distillation was done by adding boric acid and methyl red, and the contents were titrated with 0.1 normal tetrazole sulfuric acid. The first color change marked the end of the titration, followed by calculating the protein content. After separating milk serum, the milk protein content in these two types of animals was compared with the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) plate method. In this technique, milk protein molecules are linearized using SDS, and their movement is based on weight, that is, the larger the protein, the shorter the traveled distance. The relationship between the distance traveled by proteins and the logarithm of their molecular weight was investigated and milk proteins were identified in the samples. T-test statistical analysis was used to compare the average total protein in cows and buffaloes at a 95% confidence level as the statistical significance (p < 0.05). Results: In sodium dodecyl sulfate plates, standard samples were able to create 14, 18, 22, and 70 kD bands for alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, casein, and albumin proteins according to the protein marker. The average protein contents of buffalo and cow milk samples were equal to 4.71±1.79 and 3.91±1.19 mg/liter, respectively, meaning that the total protein content in buffalo milk is significantly higher than that of the cow (p < 0.05). In addition, cow's milk contained lower levels of beta-lactoglobulin and casein than buffalo's milk while the amount of alpha-lactalbumin in cow's milk was higher than in buffalo's milk. The bands obtained from the electrophoresis of casein and alpha-lactalbumin on the gel showed genetic diversity among the subunits of casein and alpha-lactalbumin in cow and buffalo milk samples. Conclusion: In the comparison of the protein profile in animal milk, various reports show that protein profiles of milk are different in animal species. So far, the protein profile of buffalo milk has not been compared in the literature, which was investigated in this study. In general, the present study shows that cow and buffalo milk are different in terms of the protein profile due to the higher total protein content, especially the casein and beta-lactoglobulin levels in buffalo's milk than in cow's milk. It seems that the nutritional value of buffalo milk is higher than cow milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Given the crucial role of milk and its products in human diets, it is imperative to implement effective measures to ensure the safety of milk by minimizing the presence of hazardous pollutants. This study aims to assess the concentration and potential risks associated with lead in raw milk produced in Tehran province. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study involved the collection of raw milk samples from 24 diverse livestock farms in Tehran province during the winter season of 1401. The samples were analyzed for lead contamination using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Statistical tests were applied to compare the results with international standards, and subsequent risk assessment was conducted based on the average amounts. Results: The study revealed that none of the samples exceeded the permissible limit for lead. The mean and standard deviation of lead concentration in the samples was 7 ± 5.8 (ppb), well below the international standard. There was no significant variation in lead levels among the tested livestock farms. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) values for both children and adults were calculated to be less than 1. Conclusion: The concentration of lead in all samples remained below the permissible limits set by Codex and the Iran Standards Organization, indicating no non-carcinogenic risks associated with milk consumption in terms of lead contamination, as suggested by the calculated HQ values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Paying attention to antibiotic residues in milk is important due to its health effects on the occurrence of microbial resistance in consumers, as well as its harmful effects on the dairy industry. This study was carried out with the aim of determining the amount of oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin, and penicillin G in raw milk samples produced in Fars province, which were detected as contaminated during screening with a rapid kit. Materials and Methods: The samples were first examined with a rapid commercial kit for the presence of antibiotic residues. Then the amount of oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin and penicillin G antibiotics in the positive samples belonging to the middle month of each season was determined using the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Results: Antibiotic residues were found in 121 (7.7%) samples by the commercial Eclipse kit. Both season (p<0.001) and region (p<0.01) of sampling had a significant effect on antibiotic residues in raw milk. In the chromatographic method, antibiotic residues of oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin were detected in 6 (27.3%) samples, none of which exceeded the permissible limit determined by the Iranian Veterinary Organization. Conclusion: Although the amount of antibiotics detected from raw milk from Fars province was much lower than the permissible limit, it is necessary to implement further executive, educational, and research measures to minimize these residues in raw milk due to the possibility of the presence of other antimicrobial substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the use of propolis in food products has received attention owing to its functional role. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different concentrations of propolis extract on the total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of raw milk. For this purpose, an aqueous extract of dry propolis was prepared and stored in dark-colored bottles at 4 °C until the day of experiments. The propolis extract was added to raw milk in concentrations of 0, 4.7, 9.1, 16.6, and 28.5%. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were measured using the colorimetric Folin-Ciocalteu method and DPPH assay, respectively. Measurements were performed on the first day at zero hour and after 6 and 24 h of treatment, and the storage temperature was maintained at 5°C until analyzed. The amount of total polyphenol increased with the increase in the concentration of propolis extract in the treated milk in 0 hour; accordingly, the lowest and the highest amounts of total polyphenol were related to control milk and milk containing 28.5% propolis extract, respectively. A decreasing trend was observed in total polyphenol in the control sample and raw milk containing 4.7% propolis extract during 24 hours. There was an increase in total polyphenol content in raw milk containing 9.1% and 16.6% propolis extracts, the trend of changes in raw milk containing 28.5% extract was insignificant. The addition of propolis extract caused an increase in the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content in raw milk. According to the results, it is recommended to carry out more studies to clarify the functions of propolis's total polyphenol content and its interaction with milk proteins.

Background: Aflatoxin M1 is one of mycotoxins which is produced by metabolism of Aflatoxin B1 and enters to the human body through animal milk. It has very strong hepatotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic effects and is potentially dangerous for human health. As milk is one of the most important foods for humans, it is essential to protect the health risk of Aflatoxin M1 in different age groups. In the present study, raw and pasteurized milk samples of Zanjan, East Azerbaijan, Gilan and Kermanshah provinces have been evaluated then contamination of the samples with aflatoxin M1 and also the status of this contamination in different seasons have been investigated. Methods: 180 samples (93 samples of raw milk and 87 samples of pasteurized milk) In the autumn and winter of 1997 and the spring and summer of 1998 were collected from stores in Zanjan, East Azarbaijan, Gilan and Kermanshah provinces. The samples were centrifuged, the surface fat removed, and competitive ELISA assessed for aflatoxin M1. Results: In this study, 180 samples were collected from 4 cities of Tabriz, Kermanshah, Zanjan and Rasht, where the level of aflatoxin M1 was measured by ELISA method. The results showed that 100% of the examined samples were infected with aflatoxin M1 and the average concentration aflatoxin M1 in Tabriz, Kermanshah, Zanjan and Rasht are 31.9±6.5, 30.7±16.9, 29.9±2.2 and 25.4±3.8 ng/L,that was observed in the range of

Background and Objective: Environmental pollution with heavy metals and consequently their entry into food chains leads to irreparable damage to human health. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of heavy metals including copper, zinc, lead and cadmium in blood and milk of grazing livestock around Zinc industry in Zanjan province (VSIPZ). Materials and Methods: A total of 10 samples of grazing blood and milk were taken in each of the four geographical directions of the desired location. Also, in order to compare the current situation in the study area with the non-polluted areas, the control area (Qarah Poshtlu area of Zanjan) was considered. Dry ash method was used to digest organic matter. Results: The results showed that the concentration of copper in the blood of cows and sheeps and the concentration of lead in the blood of cows in the west of VSIPZ was higher than the control group (p

Microbial quality of raw milk is very important in two respects. First, milk consumption itself plays a very significant role in people's food tables and its high microbial load endangers consumer health. Second, if the microbial quality of milk is not suitable, from a technology point of view, milk -derived products will not have a good quality. In this project, which has been carried out in collaboration with Pegah Golestan Company, the separation process (with separators) and double bactofugation was used to reduce microbial load with the aim of reducing milk heating (in order to reduce the nutritional value as a result of heat). Milk samples used for lactic cheese production in Golestan province were examined in 2020 and 2021. After the process, total microbial counting, aerobic and anaerobic spores were counted. The results showed that by using this method, the total microbial load, aerobic and anaerobic spores of the collected milks were reduced to an acceptable level throughout the year without decreasing the microbial quality of the produced cheese during the storage period. On the other hand, the process of separation and bactofugation produces dairy sludge. Normally, dairy sludge is removed every 20 minutes, which was performed in separator and bactofuge1 to 21 minutes to reduce dairy sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter can be transmitted through raw milk and cause foodborne illness. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Campylobacter and pathogenic species of Salmonella spp. species in raw cow's milk using molecular method in Mazandaran province. 100 samples of raw milk were randomly collected from traditional milk collection and retail centers in Mazandaran province in 2019. All samples were transferred as soon as possible to the microbiology laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, in sterile containers and in suitable cold chain conditions. DNA was extracted from milk samples using a commercial kit and then the polymerase chain reaction was performed using appropriate primers to identify Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli and Salmonella . Out of 100 samples, 7 samples (7%) were infected with Campylobacter jejuni, no positive sample of Campylobacter coli was observed and 2 samples (2%) were infected with Salmonella . According to the results of the present study and the presence of the mentioned bacteria in milk, it is necessary to observe the hygienic principles in the dairy industry, processing and use of sufficient heat to eliminate the mentioned bacteria in raw milk and also use fast and accurate methods to identify These bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Milk is one of the most important components of human food. In recent decades, the continued use of pesticides has led to contamination of soil, water, air and milk and caused public concern in the community. Long-term exposure to pesticide residuals in the food chain can be harmful. Therefore, there is a need to control environmental conditions in order to improve its healthy and sustainable food processing practices. Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 samples of raw milk were randomly collected in October 2020, from milk collection centers in Urmia and the residual pesticides were determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: Organochlorine pesticides were detected in some raw milk samples. The highest concentrations of Lindane (γ-HCH) were detected with the values ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 mg/kg in 5 milk samples. Atrazine was detected in 15 samples with the values ranging from 0.8 to 1.33 mg/kg and alachlor was found in 13 samples with the varied range of 0.35 to o.5 mg/kg. Organochlorine pesticide concentrations were higher than maximum residue level (MRL) in all contaminated milk samples according to the values mentioned by the European Union. Conclusion: This study showed that atrazine, lindane and alachlor were higher than MRL according to European Commission (EC). However, other organochlorine pesticides such as Heptachlor, Aldrin and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α, β and γ) were not detected.

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most dangerous common protozoan diseases between humans and animals that infect humans in various ways. Contact with the infected animal, consuming contaminated food, and transmitting from mother to fetus is the most important means of transmission. Based on the recorded data, this study is the first report of Toxoplasma gondii in buffalo and camel milk in some parts of Iran. For this purpose, 440 raw milk samples of 5 species of animals were collected from Isfahan, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari, Khuzestan, and Fars provinces during four seasons and studied for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii by nested-PCR. The results showed that 26 (5.9%) of the samples were infected with Toxoplasma gondii. The highest infection was observed in sheep milk (8%) and the lowest in buffalo milk (4.28%). The seasonal prevalence of infection was in winter (11.43%), autumn (6.8%), and spring (5.03%), while none of the samples obtained in summer the parasite was not infected. Contamination of raw milk and traditional dairy products with Toxoplasma gondii can either occur directly from infected animals or as a result of non-compliance with the principles of hygiene during the process of milking, transportation, storage, and cross-contamination. Therefore, proper pre-consumption of milk is recommended. TRANSLATE with x English Arabic Hebrew Polish Bulgarian Hindi Portuguese Catalan Hmong Daw Romanian Chinese Simplified Hungarian Russian Chinese Traditional Indonesian Slovak Czech Italian Slovenian Danish Japanese Spanish Dutch Klingon Swedish English Korean Thai Estonian Latvian Turkish Finnish Lithuanian Ukrainian French Malay Urdu German Maltese Vietnamese Greek Norwegian Welsh Haitian Creole Persian // TRANSLATE with COPY THE URL BELOW Back EMBED THE SNIPPET BELOW IN YOUR SITE Enable collaborative features and customize widget: Bing Webmaster Portal Back //TRANSLATE with xEnglishArabicHebrewPolishBulgarianHindiPortugueseCatalanHmong DawRomanianChinese SimplifiedHungarianRussianChinese TraditionalIndonesianSlovakCzechItalianSlovenianDanishJapaneseSpanishDutchKlingonSwedishEnglishKoreanThaiEstonianLatvianTurkishFinnishLithuanianUkrainianFrenchMalayUrduGermanMalteseVietnameseGreekNorwegianWelshHaitian CreolePersian // TRANSLATE with COPY THE URL BELOW BackEMBED THE SNIPPET BELOW IN YOUR SITE Enable collaborative features and customize widget: Bing Webmaster PortalBack//

The occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing bacteria is an important public health issue. The aim of this study was to investigate phenotypic and genotypic characteristics regarding the presence of extended spectrum β-lactamase ctx-m, per and ver producing Escherichia coli isolated from raw dairy samples. For this purpose, E. coli were isolated from 247 raw dairy samples (milk and cheese) in Yasooj in 2015-2017, and the isolates were screened for antibiotic resistance, extended spectrum β-lactamase and the presence of ctx-m, per and ver. In total, 200 isolates were selected. The highest frequency of resistance in isolates was against tetracycline (96.5%) and ampicillin (95.5%) antibiotics and the lowest against imipenem (12.5%), In addition, multidrug resistance against four or more antibiotics was observed in some isolates. Extended spectrum β-lactamase resistance was detected in 86 isolates (43%) and ctx-m, per and ver genes were detected in 82, 0 and 7 E. coli isolates, respectively. These findings demonstrated that raw dairy products may be reservoirs for the dissemination of β-lactam antibiotics and that resistance genes could be transmitted to humans through the food chain.

A common practice and crucial step to control mastitis and maintain the high- quality of raw milk is teat disinfection which divides into pre-, immediately prior to, and post-milking. Accordingly, dipping and spraying procedures have been applied to prevent environmental and contagious mastitis as well as reduction of microbial load of raw milk. Quantitative tests such as somatic cell counts in raw milk are commonly used to monitor dramatic change of normal to sub-clinical (250000≤ cell mL-1), and clinical infected udder. It is assumed that pre-milking disinfection is a suitable strategy to tackle sub-clinical environmental mastitis whereas post-milking method is recommended to manage contiguous one. Pre- dipping effectively declines bacterial count in raw milk. Although, post-milking disinfection significantly reduces microbial contamination from liner and cleaning step, it is not effective on bacterial load from hands of milker, rinse water and used paper towel. The usage of disinfectants in major milk producer countries varies extensively, for instance more than two third of teat disinfectants in New Zealand is iodophor, followed by 15% chlorhexidine and 15% dodecylbenzene sulphonate. Iodophor has been used as pre- and post- sanitizer in concentration of 0.3% but it is allowable from 0.1-0.25% in UK. According to the regulations of the USA, Spain, and Canada, chlorhexidine can be used in the range of 0.11-0.5%, meanwhile Danish and Americans’ law regulated the usage of dodecylbenzene sulphonate in the vicinity of 2%. Hypochlorite has been taken into account as pre- and post- sanitizer from 0.1 to 4 % but regulated up to 0.2 in UK and 0.3% in US and CA. Likewise chlorhexidine, dodecylbenzene sulphonate, and quaternary ammonium compounds are used as post-milking. Bacteriocin is a teat disinfectant in France whereas slightly acidic electrolyzed water has been introduced as emerging pre- and post- sanitizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of raw milk plays an important role in the quality of dairy products. The current study was aimed to investigate the effect of season and farming system on aflatoxin M1 content and raw milk quality. For this reason, 600 samples were collected from 5 industrial farms and 5 milk collection centers of Khorramabad city during the summer and winter of 2017 (300 samples in each season). The contamination level of aflatoxin M1 was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in 40 samples (4 samples from each farm). All samples were investigated in terms of acidity, density, protein, water percent, protein, fat and total bacterial count. The results showed the aflatoxin M1 in 5 samples (12.5%), was higher than the permitted level of National Standard (50 ng / ml). The amount of fat, protein, and density of samples collected in the winter was higher than those collected in the summer (P< 0.05). There was no significant difference between the aflatoxin M1 level in milk samples of industrial farms and milk collection centers. Moreover, the total bacterial count of 93% and 100% of the samples collected during summer and winter has exceeded the permissible limit specified in the National Standard, respectively, It could be concluded that in order to reduce the microbial load of raw milk, appropriate methods should be applied and the livestock breeders should be provided with the necessary training on how to milk and feed the animal. Moreover, the raw milk delivered to dairy factories should also be considered for aflatoxin M1.

Mycotoxin contamination of foodstuff and its transmission to consumers are extremely important from the public health point of view. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a hepatocarcinogenic toxin found in the milk of animals that have consumed feeds contaminated with aflatoxin B1. The aim of this study was to determine the level of AFM1 in raw milk at traditional dairy retails of the east of Mazandaran province. A total of 80 cow raw milk samples was randomly collected from retails of 10 cities of Mazandaran during March 2015. The level of AFM1 was measured by ELISA assay using commercial kits and a microplate reader. All raw milk samples contained measurable amounts of AFM1. The results showed that 6.25% of the total samples had higher concentrations permitted by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran; moreover, 17.5% of the samples were contaminated with higher concentrations of AFM1 than the maximum allowed limit set by the European Commission. Results revealed any significant relationship in the AFM1 concentrations between the sampling cities. According to the outcomes, it can be concluded that adequate control measures at the farm level may have resulted in reduced concentrations of AFM1 in raw milk of Mazandaran province; however, frequent monitoring is crucial.

Some zoonotic protozoa can be easily transmitted through food and water and cause serious illnesses in humans and animals. Because these pathogenic agents have some characteristics of an effective biological agent such as latent period, low infectious doses, high resistance to disinfectants, they can play a role as an unknown biological agent in bioterrorism. Considering the increasing threats of bioterrorism, biological agents and their use by some colonial countries, it is necessary to identify and recognize these unknown agents and ways to prevent them. Based on a systematic study some keywords such as” bioterrorism”, “biologic”, and “protozoa zoonosis”, parasite” and names of some waterborne and foodborne parasites were searched in reliable information databases and then the related topics were studied carefully. The results of this study show that in addition to bacteria, viruses and their toxins, zoonotic protozoa such as Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Toxoplasma gondii which can be transmitted through food and water, can act as biologically hazardous agents in bioterrorism. Because these zoonotic protozoa are resistant to some disinfectants, for example, chlorine and low temperatures, so the only way to deal with these biological agents at times of crisis is to boil the water for 10-15 min at 60 ° C as well as to cook completely those food materials with the probability of contamination.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important virulence factors in milk and dairy products that may cause of several disease in human. Several virulence factors are involved in its ability to cause disease that one of the most important of them is the ability of the bacterium to produce biofilm. These bacteria are capable of producing polysaccharides and proteinaceous substances attached to the surfaces that leads to biofilm formation. In this study to assess the presence of S.aureus and distribution of genes encoding biofilm formation in the raw milk from Tehran city, a total of 99 raw milk samples was obtained from 4 big milk plants in the sterile conditions and assessed by conventional microbiological culturing methods and confirmed by PCR assayed. For this, nuc gene was used as the specific target sequence to detect S.aureus to identify the presence of fnbA, clfB, icaA, icaD genes which encode biofilm formation, the specific primers of every gene were exploited. Based on results of microbiological culturing and after confirming them with molecular ways, 4 isolates were detected as s.aureus (4.04%). The genes encoding biofilm formation, fnbA, cltB, & icaD were identified in all 4 isolates (100 %) and only one isolate (25%) contained icaD gene. Because the frequency of biofilm encoding genes separated from raw milk samples of Tehran city is considerable implementing hygienic principles is essential to control and preventing biofilm formation.

Enterococci are among lactic acid bacteria that are homogeneous and are commonly found in raw milk and its products. The purpose of this study was to isolate Enterococcus species from raw milk and traditional milk products in Tabriz region and to study their inhibitory effect on some of pathogenic bacteria. For this, 105 specimens including 15 samples of each of raw milk, yogurt, cheese, cream, butter, dough, and whey were tested. After isolation and differential identification of the species, 24 isolates were selected based on the sample type and the variety of Enterococcus species. Due to the pathogenic potential of E. faecalis and E. fascism species, they were evaluated for the presence of Esp and Asa1 genes, respectively. The inhibitory effect of Enterococcus isolates was tested on nine important foodborne pathogens using overlay method. According to the results, nine species of E. fascism, E. faecalis, E. gallinarum, E. avium, E. Benedetti, E. caseliflavus, E. hirae, E. saccharoliticus and E. raffinosus were isolated. All isolates had an inhibitory effect on indicator organisms; however, the inhibitory effect was found different among various species and various strains. E. faecalis and E. fascism species had the most antibacterial effects. The molecular evaluation showed that out of 5 isolates of E. faecalis, 2 isolates contained Esp gene. In the case of E. faecalis, none of the isolates harbored Asa1 gene. If further experiments are carried out in relation to the proven safety of enterococci, their inhibitory effect on food pathogenic bacteria can be used.

Milk is one of the important nutritional sources, and milk adulteration is a serious threat to human health. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of the adulteration of neutralizing agents and powdered milk in raw and pasteurized milk distributed in Birjand, Iran, in 2018. In this descriptive-analytical study, powdered milk and neutralizing agents were examined in 271 milk samples (181 and 90 samples of fresh and pasteurized milk, respectively). The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version: 25). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The obtained results of the current study showed that none of the studied milk samples had neutralizing agents. Moreover, 17 samples (6.3%) of the studied milk samples were observed to be contaminated with powdered milk. The highest relative distribution of powdered milk was reported for raw milk (n=14). There was a statistically significant relationship between the relative frequency of powdered milk with milk supply location, and season of supply (P<0.05). It seems that the distribution of such manipulated products in the areas of the city that do not have a good economic and social condition and in winter is more prevalent. According to the results of the present study, the existence of an efficient control system and adoption of preventive measures to prevent milk contamination is really essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Milk is a suitable environment for most microorganisms. Pollution in the suckling production chain and its implementation result in unsatisfactory sanitation, long-term transportation, and the lack of facilities for storing milk. The purpose of the study was to identify and control the effects of common microorganisms of mast infections and their role in the transmission of diseases with milk as a major contribution to storage and, finally, the transmission of these pathogenic infections to humans. Materials and Methods: A total of 450 raw milk samples from traditional and industrial plants were collected around the city of Tehran. In order to determine the identity of the bacteria, their transmission to a differential culture, was used standard microbiological methods and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (Disc diffusion). Results: The results of biochemical experiments were conducted on 225 isolates from isolation and diagnosis of bacteria in raw milk, antibiotic susceptibility test in accordance with CLSI 2010 standard guidelines. Antibiotics of tylosin and streptomycin with the highest antibiotic resistance were 221 (98.2%) and 217 (96.5%), respectively, which were most susceptible to the tetra delta and ciprofloxacin respectively (0%, 100%) and 15 (6.7%) bacterial resistance cases were observed. Conclusion: According to the present situation and the results obtained, the level of contamination obtained from traditional and industrial livestock is still high. Although regular mastitis and infections are commonly found by specialists, but the contamination caused by milking and collecting is higher than normal values. The frequent use of antibiotics and the resulting resistance has provided a very important and controversial problem.

Enterotoxin-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus can cause food poisoning through the consumption of contaminated dairy products. Essential oil (EO) of Zataria multiflora Bioss. contains components with antibacterial and antifungal properties. The present study was conducted to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Z. multiflora Boiss. EO on S. aureus isolated from raw milk. Extraction and gas isolation of the EO was provided and analyzed by Chromatography/mass spectrometry. A total of 84 samples of raw milk from a dairy farm in Semnan were analyzed for the presence of S. aureus. Fourteen S. aureus strains were isolated from raw milk. The chemical composition of hydrodistilled EO of Z. multiflora Boiss was analyzed by Chromatography/mass spectrometry. A total of 25 compounds representing 98.59% of the oil were identified: carvacrol (50.53%), thymol (14.7%), p-cymene (7.9%), Carvacryl acetate (3.85%) and Trans-caryophyllene (3.4%). The MIC of Z. multiflora Boiss. Using broth microdilution method, MIC of EO on all of the S. aureus isolates was estimated at 0.0001-0.004. Based on results, the EO ofZ. multiflora Boiss possesses antibacterial activity on S. aureus isolated from raw milk.

Milk is an important nutritional food and it fully satisfies the nutritional needs of humans for up to 6 months. Due to the presence of nutrients, milk is a very suitable medium for the growth of a variety of bacteria. Hence some people with the addition of some materials were tried to avoid milk deterioration. The common adulterations in raw milk are the addition of neutralizing agents, water, salt, detergent, hydrogen peroxide, formalin, and others. In this study, a total of 120 milk samples were collected from milk collection centers of Mazandaran province. Parameters such as acidity, pH, dry matter, density, protein, fat and freezing point were tested. Also, the addition of detergent, formalin, salt, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium bicarbonate were analyzed on the samples. The results of the experiments showed that there is no significant difference in the amount of acidity, pH, dry matter, density, protein, the fat and freezing point of raw milk between warm and cold seasons. Also, the results revealed that there were some adulterations in cold season in the milk samples including, hydrogen peroxide 1.6%, and detergents 1.6%. But in the warm season, the amount of fraud in raw milk was higher than in the cold season. These frauds included the addition of formalin 1.6%, detergent 3.3%, hydrogen peroxide 3.3% and sodium bicarbonate 11.6%. There was no adulteration of salt and water added in raw milk samples. Overall, there was a significant difference between the incidence of milk adulteration in warm and cold seasons (P<0.05). The necessity of continual pursuit of importance regarding the inspection and sampling of milk collection and distribution centers and carry out the appropriate tests in order to check frauds aimed to discuss health and complications from taking it to feel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, a variety of milk-based products are made with flavored beverages, because many people, especially children, are reluctant to consume unpasteurized milk. On the other hand, eggs are placed in higher degree than other sources of protein nutritionally, that they are added to most food products to increase their nutritional value as well as improve their functional properties. Therefore, in this study, egg white protein and chocolate milk were used for making protein beverage. Microbiological count, sensory attributes and pH changes were investigated during 10 days of refrigerated storage. Despite the high total bacterial count in the samples with egg white compared to the control samples on the first day, growth was much faster during storage, in control samples. So, on the 5th day, the growth rate of control samples increased 2 logarithmic cycles and in the treated samples 0.2-1 logarithmic cycles. The results showed that the bacterial count decreased significantly with increasing egg white percentage. On the 7th day, total aerobic mesophilic bacteria ranged from 3.55 to 4.06 (Log10 CFU/ml), therefore it was according to standard pasteurized milk and the best storage time was seven days. Coliforms, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, molds and yeast were also not observed. On the other hand, the addition of egg whites increased the pH level to 8.3 to 8.7 and decreased acidic spoilage. There was also a direct relationship between the percentage of egg white and the increase in viscosity, but the viscosity of the samples with a higher percentage of egg, decreased during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Antibiotics are known as the most useful and effective drugs in the treatment of infectious diseases in humans and animals. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics directly or indirectly, for instance through raw animal products such as milk, can cause health problems in human societies. The specific aim of this study was to determine the level of antibiotic residue in raw and pasteurized milk in Gilan province. Materials and Methods: In this study 30 pasteurized milk samples of randomly selected brands and 570 raw cow milk samples from milk collection centers in 15 cities of Gilan province were collected. The samples were analyzed by coupon test. Results and Conclusions: Antibiotic residue was observed in 179 (31.4%) and 18 (60%) samples out of the 570 raw and pasteurized cow milk samples, respectively.. According to dairy per capita consumption in Gilan province, this rate of contamination affects a considerable part of the population. It can therefore be concluded that the contamination of dairy products to residual antibiotic can be considered an important factor threatening human health and should be considered in the quality control of milk and dairy products.

Background and Aim: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic disease between human and cattle breeding. Brucellosis is endemic in all regions of Iran. Since brucella is an arbitrary intracellular organism and a limited range of antibiotics are effective to it, this study is based on the survey of the antibiotic sensitivity to the 9 isolated B.melitensis from raw milk in tribes population. Materials and Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility of 9 B.melitensis bacteria isolated from nomadic livestock population’s raw milk were studied in the laboratory. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tested antimicrobial substances were measured by E- test. To interpret the results, CLSI standards were used for bacteria growth. Results and Conclusions: 9 isolates had a high sensitivity to Doxycycline, two isolates were resistant against three antibiotics Streptomycin (MIC≥240μg/mL) Cotrimoxazole (MIC≥256μg/mL) and Rifampin (MIC≥30μg/mL) and six other isolates were showed Intermediate and sensitivity to former antibiotics. According to results, resistance to Rifampin and Streptomycin and Cotrimoxazole were the important result of this article.

Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB), in particular proteolytic strains, in raw milk have useful technological properties and play important role in developing desired characteristics in the final products. However, they are mostly lost during heating and technological processes. Therefore, it would be important to be isolated and maintained for further applications as pure adjunct cultures. In this study, after selective isolation of LAB from raw cow's, ewe's and goat's milks on MRS agar and M17 agar, gram-positive catalase-negative were selected and maintained as pure cultures. Then, the isolates were screened according to their proteolytic activities on skim milk agar (well-diffusion method). The potent grampositive, catalase-negative proteolytic strains were identified via 16S rDNA gene sequencing and antibiotic resistance (10 antibiotic agents, disc-diffusion method) and hemolytic activities (on blood agar containing 5% sheep blood) were evaluated. BLAST analysis resulted in identification of Lactobacillus delbruekii (five isolates), L. delbruekii subsp. bulgaricus, L. fermentum, L. reuteri, L. curvatus, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, and Streptococcus lutetiensis. L. lactis subsp. lactis obtained from cow milk showed the highest proteolytic activity as a 23-mm halo zone was observed on skim milk agar plate after 48 h incubation at 37 °C. In case of hemolysin production, only Lactobacillus fermentum showed α- hemolytic activity and the others showed no activities. All the identified isolates were sensitive to tetracycline, ampicillin, erythromycin, vancomycin and gentamycin with the exception of L. reuteri and lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis that found to be resistant to vancomycin and gentamycin, respectively. About penicillin, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, kanamycin and streptomycin, the results were varied. Our results verified diversity of wild proteolytic LAB strains in raw milk, as reported before. Although LAB mainly belong to the GRAS list, strains isolated from raw milk should be re-checked for their safety-related properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mycotoxins are among the environmental chemical agents with toxic effects on animals and humans. Aflatoxins (AF) are a major group of mycotoxins produced following the growth of some species of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, particularly in agricultural products. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is secreted to milk and remains there since the process of pasteurization and sterilization has little effect on this metabolite. The aim of this study was to investigate the natural occurrence of AFM1 in raw milk in Behbahan area, which is an area of highdensity livestock production in southwest of Iran. The other aim was to compare these obtained levels with the accepted level recommended by the European community (50 ng/L). Methods: In the present study, 90 samples of raw milk were collected from five dairy farms in Behbahan region, Khuzestan province, Iran. The AFM1 was analyzed using the Enzyme Linked Immune Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method by ELISA kits from Euro Clone, Italy. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and the results were reported as mean ± SE. The significant level was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The concentration of aflatoxin M1 in (15)16.54% of raw milk was higher than maximum tolerance limit accepted by European Union /Codex Alimentarius Commission (50 ng/l). The results of this study showed that all 90 investigated raw milk samples were contaminated with AFM1 (100%). Conclusion: A significant difference was observed between concentration means of AFM1 in various studied farms at P < 0.05. Consequently, high occurrence of AFM1 in raw milk samples was considered as a possible hazard for human health. However, further longitudinal studies are required on milk samples and other dairy products in Behbahan as well as other regions of Iran to estimate the representative intake of AFM1 in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Milk is a full meal that can provide an appropriate growing environment for different bacteria. Hence, it can be hazardous to human health in unpasteurized conditions. The present study was conducted in order to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus in raw and pasteurized milks of Sari City in the summer of 2014. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the summer of 2014 in the city of Sari. Totally, 160 samples- each 200 mL of raw milk were collected from collection and distribution centers (80 samples) of raw milk, and pasteurized milk from food stores (80 samples). Under aseptic conditions, confirmatory tests were carried out in Chapman and Blood agar media. Antibiogram test was performed for positive samples. Results were analyzed using SPSS (Ver. 19) software through the t-test descriptive statistical analysis. Results: The results showed that 38.75% of 80 samples of raw milk collected were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus, while no contamination was observed in pasteurized milk samples. The average number of colony formation of raw milk was estimated to be within 3×104 to 7×104 Cfu/mL. Maximum sensitivity was found against vancomycin, gentamicin, and Co-trimoxazole antibiotics and the maximum resistance was observed against ampicillin, methicillin and cephalotin antibiotics with of 87.5, 25, and 12.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The raw milk showed the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, compliance with and control of sanitation at different steps of preparation, supplying and consumption of milk can prevent the human infection with this type of contamination.

Heavy metals are the most important chemical pollutants of foods. Milk and dairy products due to the nutritional functions are largely consumed by infants and children around the world. The purpose of this study was to analyze Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu contents in raw cow milks produced in dairies of Lorestan industrial livestock zone during 2014. A total of 24 milk samples was collected from eight dairies. The samples were subjected to acid digestion according to standard method. Afterwards, the metal contents were determined using ICP-OES. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS statistical package. The results showed that mean concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu in milk samples were 3072±674, 2720±2790, 104±18.5 and 142±149 µg/kg, respectively. Also comparison of the mean concentrations of the metals with the WHO maximum permissible limits in milk revealed that the mean concentrations of all metals were significantly higher than permissible limits. Because of the mean concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu in milk samples were higher than Mean Residual Limits, therefore to achieve the consumers’ safety, monitoring of feed intake, water supplies, soil properties around livestock and forage crops and control of pollutants emission from industries near the livestock are recommended.

Background & Objective: Campylobacter can be transmitted through the raw milk. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter genus and Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) species in raw milk samples. Materials & Methods: In this study, 72 samples of raw milk were collected of the platforms milk in the Amol city in summer. Phenotypic identification of Campylobacter genus and C. jejuni species using microbiology laboratory methods and molecular identification of this bacterium using Multiplex- Polymerase Chain Reaction (M-PCR) were performed. The data was calculated using the SPSS 16.0 software and the Fisher's exact test (p < 0.05). Results: Among the 72 samples, 13.88% of samples were contaminated with C. jejuni and 2.77% were contaminated with Campylobacter genus. The highest prevalence rate for this bacterium was in July (20.83%) and the lowest prevalence rate was in September (12.5%). The significant difference between the prevalence of the Campylobacter genus and C. jejuni species in raw milk samples in various months of summer was not observed (p = 0.07). Conclusion: This study showed the raw milk contamination with Campylobacter, and thereby the sanitation in the dairy food production places and the use of fast and accurate method to identify this bacterium is important.

Staphylococcus aureus is considered as a major foodborne pathogen worldwide which can contaminate milk either through mastitis or unsuitable processing conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of S. aureus in raw milk of Saqez as well as to assess the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the isolates. For this reason, 100 raw milk samples were obtained across Saqez. Presence of S. aureus was determined using conventional culture method; moreover, the antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was studied by disc diffusion method. Results indicated that 51 samples were contaminated by S. aureus. Amongst, 19 (37.25%) were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic, 19 (37.25%) to 2 antibiotics, 3 (5.88%) to 3 antibiotics, 5 (9.80%) to 4 antibiotics, 3 (5.88%) to 5 antibiotics, 1 (1.98%) to 6 antibiotic and 1 (1.98%) isolate was found resistant to 8 antibiotics. Results revealed a high prevalence rate of S. aureus in raw milks and also the board antibiotic resistance of the isolates

This study aimed to assess the occurrence and diversity of mold species in raw milk and its products along with the identification of potential contamination sources. For this reason, a total of 260 samples consisting of 80 raw milk, 100 dairy products (i.e., pasteurized milk, yoghurt, cheese and buttermilk) and 80 environmental (i.e. ingredients, packaging materials, surface of processing equipments and air) specimens were collected. Using culture assay and microscopic observation, the occurrence as well as the diversity of mold species was investigated. According to the results, 82.3% of the samples were identified as positive for mold contamination. The percentage of mold contamination for raw milk was estimated as 97.5%. In the case of pasteurized milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, cheese and environmental samples, it was determined as 52%, 76%, 52%, 56% and 96.25%, respectively. Mold diversity among various samples consisted of Aspergillus, Geotrichum, Penicillium, Mucor, Alternaria, Rhizopus, Stemphylium, Cladosporium, and Fusarium. Results revealed a significant (p < 0.01) correlation between kind of mold species isolated from raw milk and dairy products. Similarly, a correlation was observed between dairy products and environmental sources. Regarding the high occurrence of mold contamination in raw milk and environmental sources, it seems that in some instances heat treatment was not effective enough to inactivate all molds; whereas in some other cases, cross contamination may have resulted in mold contamination. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain hygienic conditions during raw milk handling as well as processing steps. These practices could efficiently reduce the occurrence of mold contaminations in dairy products.

Background and Objectives: Despite the fact that pasteurization of raw milk increases the quality and health of dairy products, many people tend to consume raw milk and its products. The purpose of the current study was to design a questionnaire to determine the factors affecting choosing the type of dairy based on the reasoned action theory. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on the patients referred to Dr. Shadpour Health Care Center from September to October in 2017. The questionnaire was designed via literature review, focus group discussions, and interview with experts. A total of 14 specialists were selected to determine the content validity scores and 15 subjects referred to Dr. Shadpour Health Care Center were used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. Finally, content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR) were calculated by using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) in SPSS, version 23.00. Results: The first questionnaire consisted of 101 questions and after evaluation of validity and reliability, 32 questions were obtained. The content validity index of the questionnaire was 0.88, the content validity ratio 0.68, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient 0.83, and the internal correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.80 with the confidence interval of (0.58-0.93). Conclusion: Considering the findings, it seems that the present questionnaire has acceptable reliability and validity. Therefore, it can be used as a useful tool in determining the factors affecting choosing the type of dairy by consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Milk is a suitable environment for most microorganisms. Pollution in the suckling production chain and its implementation result in unsatisfactory sanitation, long-term transportation, and the lack of facilities for storing milk. The purpose of the study was to identify and control the effects of common microorganisms of mast infections and their role in the transmission of diseases with milk as a major contribution to storage and, finally, the transmission of these pathogenic infections to humans. Materials and Methods: A total of 450 raw milk samples from traditional and industrial plants were collected around the city of Tehran. In order to determine the identity of the bacteria, their transmission to a differential culture, was used standard microbiological methods and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (Disc diffusion). Results: The results of biochemical experiments were conducted on 225 isolates from isolation and diagnosis of bacteria in raw milk, antibiotic susceptibility test in accordance with CLSI 2010 standard guidelines. Antibiotics of tylosin and streptomycin with the highest antibiotic resistance were 221 (98.2%) and 217 (96.5%), respectively, which were most susceptible to the tetra delta and ciprofloxacin respectively (0%, 100%) and 15 (6.7%) bacterial resistance cases were observed. Conclusion: According to the present situation and the results obtained, the level of contamination obtained from traditional and industrial livestock is still high. Although regular mastitis and infections are commonly found by specialists, but the contamination caused by milking and collecting is higher than normal values. The frequent use of antibiotics and the resulting resistance has provided a very important and controversial problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of bovine mastitis. Several virulence factors are involved in mastitis. One of the important virulence factors is the ability of the bacterium to produce biofilms. These bacteria are capable of producing polysaccharides and proteinaceous substances attached to the surfaces, leads to biofilm formation. In this study, a total of 120 raw milk samples was obtained from Kurdistan province and analyzed for the presence of S. aureus. The presence of S. aureus was assessed by conventional culture method and confirmed by PCR assay. For this, nuc gene was exploited as the specific target sequence to detect S. aureus. Moreover, Multiplex PCR was used to identify the presence of clfaB, fnbA, icaD and icaA genes which encode biofilm formation. Based on results, S. aureus was found in 49 (40.83%) of the samples. The frequency of each of the genes was determined as 69.38%, 32.6%, 38.77%, and 59.18 for fnbA, clfaB, icaD and icaA, respectively. Results revealed a high contamination rate of raw milks with S. aureus, and the ability of the isolates to form biofilms.

The objective of this study was to assess the relationships between physicochemical and microbiological proper ties of raw milk and the use of multivar iate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA), hierarch ical cluster analysis (HCA) and stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA) for pattern recogniti on and classification it. In this study, 48 raw milk samples were collected from some dairy herds of Mashhad. Samples were analyzed for the microbiological and physicochemical properties. PCA, HCA and SDA were applied to estimate the usefulness of the physicochemical and microbiological parameters for the differentiation and classification of raw milk using. The results of PCA shown the seven principal components explained 93.65% of total system variance. The PCA method permits a good classification between raw milk samples on the basis of the first three PCs. HCA classified physicochemical and microbiological properties of raw milk into three main groups that confirmed the correlation between the studied variables ob tained by PCA. Using SDA it w as determined which variables best classified the raw milk samples accordi ng to their quality. Finally, the classification functions allowed the correct classification of 91.7% of the raw milk samples. Due to the direct effect of raw milk quality on dairy products quality and consumer health, the quality of raw milk has special importance in the dairy industry. Ther efore, classification of raw milk based on the quality characteristics will help to determine the price of raw milk and to produce high quality dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic disease between human and cattle breeding. Brucellosis is endemic in all regions of Iran. Since brucella is an arbitrary intracellular organism and a limited range of antibiotics are effective to it, this study is based on the survey of the antibiotic sensitivity to the 9 isolated B.melitensis from raw milk in tribes population. Materials and Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility of 9 B.melitensis bacteria isolated from nomadic livestock population's raw milk were studied in the laboratory. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tested antimicrobial substances were measured by E- test. To interpret the results, CLSI standards were used for bacteria growth. Results and Conclusions: 9 isolates had a high sensitivity to Doxycycline, two isolates were resistant against three antibiotics Streptomycin (MIC≥240μg/mL) Cotrimoxazole (MIC≥256μg/mL) and Rifampin (MIC≥30μg/mL) and six other isolates were showed Intermediate and sensitivity to former antibiotics. According to results, resistance to Rifampin and Streptomycin and Cotrimoxazole were the important result of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct relation between high blood cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases has been proved. Food containing high amount of cholesterol such as meat and meat products, egg yolk, milk and dairy products can be elevated the cholesterol content in blood plasma. The possibility of cholesterol reduction in milk using beta cyclodextrin was investigated. In this research, various amounts of β- cyclodextrin (0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 %) were mixed with raw (unhomogenized and unpasteurized) and homogenized milk at two temperature conditions of 8°C and 20°C. The cholesterol content of milk was measured for each treatment. The results that statistically were analyzed and showed that the cholesterol content of milk remarkably was decreased with increasing the amount of β- cyclodextrin, particularly in homogenized milk at 20°C .However, the reduction rate of cholesterol were decreased when extra β- cyclodextrin added due to its intermolecular reactions. The maximum cholesterol reduction was achieved when 1.5 % β- cyclodextrin added to homogenized milk at 20°C.

Background and Objective: Milk and milk products are very suitable medium for growing microorganisms (e.g. Bacillus cereus). B. cereus is spore former bacilli, which easily survives during pasteurization and makes several problems in dairy industries. The aim of this study was to investigate aerobic spore and B. cereus of receiving raw milk from three UF plants. Materials and Methods: Samples were gathered from raw milk transport tankers arrived to plants during 30 days in winter. Also, the swab test was used for detection of B.cereus residual on milk contact surfaces. Results: High contamination level of aerobic spores (AeSC) and especially B.cereus were found in most samples compared with the criteria established by national and international standards. Although total viable count (TVC) in samples from industrial farms (IF) was lower than those from traditional farms (TFs) and milk collection centers (MCCs), considerable AeSC and B.cereus were transmitted to the UF plants from IFs. The highest and lowest TVC and B.cereus were found in samples from IFs and MCCs, respectively. In addition, our investigation in IFs revealed that teats contamination to soil and feces, as well as contaminated bedding might were the most important sources of B. cereus and AeSC of raw milk. Moreover, the results of swab tests confirmed that the “cleaning in place” system may not remove B.cereus effectively. Conclusion: It seems that for classifying raw milk quality, AeSC might be used as a more effective quality factor than TVC. Management commitment is effective to improve quality by balance between the amount and quality of receiving raw milk. This leads to the lower contamination in dairy plants and final products.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) appears in milk as a direct result of the ingestion of feed contaminated with aflatoxin B1 by cattle. This study was conducted to investigate the contamination rate of raw milk whit aflatoxin M1 in Chaloos and Ramsar raw milk collection centers. Two hundred bulk raw milk samples were collected during winter (January and February) and summer (June and July) seasons. The milk samples were analyzed by ELISA method for the presence of AFM1. During the winter, AFM1 was detected in 100% and 59/79% of the bulk raw milk samples in Ramsar and Chaloos, respectively; however, during summer 83/52% and 50/1 of the samples was found as positive in Ramsar and Chaloos, respectively. Furthermore, 45% of Ramsar and 30% of Chaloos bulk milk samples showed higher contamination level of AFM1 than maximum tolerance limit (50 ng/l) accepted by National Standard as well as European Union. Although, the difference between the contamination rate in samples obtained during summer and winter seasons was not statistically significantly, (p

Milk is one of the most important sources of human nutrition and because of high nutrient content; it is a very suitable medium for microbial growth and spoilage. Sometimes farmers cheat and add some additives to milk in order to cover the spoilage or other defects in milk. In this study 120 samples of bulk raw milk (10 samples each month) were collected from dairy farms of Pakdasht under sterile condition and send to veterinary faculty of GarmsarUniversity. The following tests were done on each sample: Anti-microbial residues, residues milk acidity neutralizer, evaluation of sugar, formalin, Hydrogen peroxide, Salicylic acid and salt presence. Results were analyzed with Spss software and the results of the first six months of the year were compared statistically with the results of the second six months of the year. The mean of antimicrobial agents, milk acid neutralizer, formalin, hydrogen peroxide and salicylic acid showed no significant difference. But sugar in first semester were more than second semester (p

Introduction: There are a lot of fungi in the air and our environment that grow and reproduce if the temperature and humidity are suitable. Aspergillus flavus and parasilicus are among the most important food contaminants which have a role in food poisoning. These fungi secrete poisons which contaminate animal feed as well as the milk we get from the animals fed with these foods. Methods: In this study, a total of 428 samples of raw, pasteurized milk and animal feeds were examined in different seasons of the year using ELISA or TLC method. Results: The results revealed that in 43.36% of the animal feed samples, the contamination level was above the permissible level of aflatoxin B1 (20ppb). In 38.03% of raw and 14.42% of pasteurized milk samples, the contamination level was above the permissible level (0.5 ppb). It was also found out that the contamination level was higher in summer and autumn than that in winter and spring. This could be due to higher humidity in autumn and higher temperature in summer. This study also showed that the percentage of contamination in corn was higher. A high percentage of contamination was also found in recycled bread in the samples of AL. The contamination level was low in Fal. Fa, bran and straw samples. Conclusion: Based on these findings, there seems to be a pressing need for controlling aflatoxin contamination in animal feeds and prevention of the use of contaminated animal feeds such as corn and recycled bread. Also rotten analysis of milk and its products is necessary to be performed periodically for detection of aflatoxin contamination.

Background and Objectives: Milk is a full meal that can provide an appropriate growing environment for different bacteria. Hence, it can be hazardous to human health in unpasteurized conditions. The present study was conducted in order to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus in raw and pasteurized milks of Sari City in the summer of 2014. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the summer of 2014 in the city of Sari. Totally, 160 samples- each 200 mL of raw milk were collected from collection and distribution centers (80 samples) of raw milk, and pasteurized milk from food stores (80 samples). Under aseptic conditions, confirmatory tests were carried out in Chapman and Blood agar media. Antibiogram test was performed for positive samples. Results were analyzed using SPSS (Ver. 19) software through the t-test descriptive statistical analysis. Results: The results showed that 38.75% of 80 samples of raw milk collected were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus, while no contamination was observed in pasteurized milk samples. The average number of colony formation of raw milk was estimated to be within 3×104 to 7×104 Cfu/mL. Maximum sensitivity was found against vancomycin, gentamicin, and Co-trimoxazole antibiotics and the maximum resistance was observed against ampicillin, methicillin and cephalotin antibiotics with of 87.5, 25, and 12.5%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Campylobacter can be transmitted through the raw milk. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter genus and Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) species in raw milk samples. Materials & Methods: In this study, 72 samples of raw milk were collected of the platforms milk in the Amol city in summer. Phenotypic identification of Campylobacter genus and C. jejuni species using microbiology laboratory methods and molecular identification of this bacterium using Multiplex- Polymerase Chain Reaction (M-PCR) were performed. The data was calculated using the SPSS 16.0 software and the Fisher's exact test (p < 0.05). Results: Among the 72 samples, 13.88% of samples were contaminated with C. jejuni and 2.77% were contaminated with Campylobacter genus. The highest prevalence rate for this bacterium was in July (20.83%) and the lowest prevalence rate was in September (12.5%). The significant difference between the prevalence of the Campylobacter genus and C. jejuni species in raw milk samples in various months of summer was not observed (p = 0.07). Conclusion: This study showed the raw milk contamination with Campylobacter, and thereby the sanitation in the dairy food production places and the use of fast and accurate method to identify this bacterium is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Aflatoxin M1 is a toxic compound that is placed in class IIB (carcinogenic) by the WHO-International Agency for Research on Cancer, so its monitoring in milk is a great public health issue. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of aflatoxin M1 in raw, pasteurized milk and samples of milk produced for school milk project in Shahrood, Iran. Materials and methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 130 raw milk samples were collected from 4 collection centers and 14 production sites. Also, samples of 28 pasteurized milk from 3 producing company and 13 samples prepared for school milk project (in autumn and winter) from two brands were collected in summer and winter and analyzed by HPLC-fluorescence following immunoaffinity purification. Results: In samples of raw milk the mean concentration of Aflatoxin M1 in summer and winter were 110.3± 137.5 and 24.8± 36.51ng/kg, respectively. In summer and winter the level of Aflatoxin M1 contamination in pasteurized milk and school milk were 52.1± 36.6, 16.8± 13.0, 28.1± 14.8, and 32.5± 171ng/kg, respectively. In all samples significant differences were observed between seasons. The minimum and maximum levels of aflatoxin M1 in raw milk were determined zero (undetectable) in winter and 743 ng/kg in summer, respectively. Conclusion: Significant differences in the mean concentration of aflatoxin M1 in studied seasons, indicates the necessity for appropriate monitoring on animal food in summer and winter and more controlling measurements in summer on type, processing and storage of animal food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Listeria monocytogenes is an important psychrotrophic foodborne pathogen which may exist in milk and dairy products. The bacterium causes listeriosis with severe clinical consequences such as meningitis, septicemia and abortion. Therefore, contamination of food stuff implies a significant health risk for human. There are a minimum data on raw milk contamination of Listeria species In Iran. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Listeria spp. in raw milk in Isfahan, Iran. Methods: A total of 91 samples of raw milk were examined for the presence of Listeria spp. using a two-step selective enrichment recommended by USDA. All isolates were subjected to standard biochemical test. L. monocytogenes strains were further confirmed by PCR amplification. Findings: Of the 91 raw milk samples collected, Listeria species were isolated on five (5.49%) samples. Four (4.39%) of these five isolates identified as L. monocytogenes and one (1.09%) as L. seeligeri. All strains of L. monocytogenes identified by biochemical tests, were also confirmed by PCR. Conclusion: The study shows the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in raw milk sold in the market. Consumption of raw milk with mild heat treatment or its usage in traditional dishes is a common practice in Iran. Therefore, the lack of appropriate control measures could pose serious health problems. The lack of knowledge on the risks of listeriosis transmission indicating the need of implementation of food safety education program. In addition, the Iranian food safety authorities urgently should set up an effective standard to screen all susceptible food for the presence of Listeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]