Analysis of fresh milk quality during an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) at the cooperative dairy level in East Java, Indonesia.

The quality of fresh milk is essential because it determines farmers' welfare and food safety for consumers and industry. The research objective was to analyze the quality of fresh milk during the FMD outbreak at the cooperative level. The survey was carried out in June-July 2022. Milk samples were collected from a milk collection centre in a milk-producing area in East Java and then analyzed quantitatively. The physicochemical contents of milk were analyzed using a milko tester. The microbiological assay of milk was analyzed using Petri films and culture techniques in selective agar media. The physicochemical quality of fresh milk samples, including freezing point, protein content, SNF, density and fat content, met the quality requirements of SNI 3141.1:2011 fresh milk. The milk sample had a high pH of 6.9, a high salt content of 0.7% and added water of 0.28%. Indonesian national standards had not regulated salt content and added water. The TPC in the sample was 9.6-11.0 log CFU/mL, and Escherichia coli contamination was 0.8-1.5 log CFU/mL. This study concluded that at the beginning of the FMD outbreak, the quality of fresh milk was low based on pH, salt content, added water, TPC, and milk samples containing Escherichia coli. Dairy farmers and cooperatives need to improve corrective management actions. In addition, an approach to regulatory and technological aspects was required as an anticipatory action against new hazards that may arise in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]