Microbial and Non Microbial Contaminants of Milk

Microbial and non microbial contaminants:
Their sources and entry points in milk during various stages of

production
Introduction:
Milk is a natural liquid product that contains almost all the nutrition
required for healthy life. The secreted milk in the udder is sterile and later on
various extraneous materials get their entry in to it. From the point of
production to distribution, there are various points from where milk gets
contaminated with different microbial and non microbial substances.
Contaminants:
Any accidental entry or introduction of foreign material into the milk is
called contamination and the foreign materials are called contaminants. The
contaminants that are introduced into the milk can be classified under two
major categories:
A. Non microbial contaminants
B. Microbial contaminants
Various stages of milk production
In developing countries like India, the production of milk is generally
carried out in villages and unorganized barns. The chances of milk get
contaminated at any time is high. The components and stages of milk
production can be summarized as follows:
Milk production at
farm level
Milk in cans Collection in

bulk coolers
Chilling
centers
Milk plants
The incidences of contamination into milk at farm level can be summarized
as follows.
I. Milk contamination at farm level
A. Non-microbial contaminants
a) Physical contaminants:
Physical contaminants like dirt particles, hair, leaves, rubber and
mettle particles, paper pieces etc can get entry in to the milk at the time of
milking. The dirt particles from air even, unclean udder or body of the cow,
unclean utensils and water supply can contaminate milk. The hair of body of
cow or of milk can also fall in the milk. The habits of the milker can also
add some harmful contaminants like chewing tobacco, gutkha or beetle
leaves can make entry of the physical contaminants into the milk.
At the barn, all the activities of the milker should be scrutinized. The
cleaning of the milking equipment should be properly done with a reliable
and adequate source of water supply. The dairy barns should be maintained
regularly and of good condition. The surrounding area of the barn should be
kept clean from the waste materials. The milking premises should be free
from the cobwebs and accumulation of the dust particles.
b) Chemical contaminants:
Veterinary, cleaning, agricultural and disinfecting chemicals can
contaminate the milk.
i) Veterinary and agricultural chemicals:
The milch animal treated with any drug or antibiotic can contaminate
milk with the residues of drugs. During milking, these chemicals may also
be secreted along with milk. During milking adequate precaution should be
taken so as to minimize the risk of getting entry of such chemicals into the
milk. Such milks should not contain them more than the safety limit
approved by government. Only registered drugs should be used to treat the
animal.
ii) Pest contaminants:
Pest in the milking premises can contaminate milk with their feaces,
urine, bedding materials, hair etc. at the time of milking or handling of milk.
Therefore, the entry of such birds even the flies should be restricted for entry
and residing at the dairy farm premises.
iii) Environmental contaminants:
The environment of milking area can make entry of various chemical
contaminants into the milk. The disinfectant sprays in the air, chemical
substances in the water hypo chlorites, activities of neighboring farms, etc.
can be proved to very harmful contaminants.
iv) Cleaning and disinfection:
In the dairy farm, the equipment and the surroundings are regularly cleaned
and sanitized. These activities if not monitored properly can introduce many
potential chemical contaminants into milk. Detergents are necessary to clean
before disinfection of the equipment for milking purpose. The purpose of the
detergents is to remove the dust particles and the milk deposits from the
surfaces of milking and ancillary equipments. The disinfectants are used to
make the surfaces free from the microorganisms. These chemical substances
can become contaminants of milk if not cleaned properly with good quality
of water. Sometimes the disinfectants are used with the detergents to
improve the efficiency of cleaning.
The detergents should be used with the hot water and effective
removal of chemicals from the surface of such equipments should also be
carried out with hot water.
B. Microbial contaminants
i) Contamination by pathogenic bacteria:

The interior of normal udder adds many microorganisms into the
milk, i.e., Micrococci, streptococci and some Corynebacterium. These
bacteria enter through the teat opening and colonize in the interior of udder.
The fore milk contains mot of them, that’s why the fore milk should be
excluded during milking. The mastitis causing bacteria get secreted into the
milk if udder is infected.
The milker can also introduce a large number of microorganisms in
the milk, if he/she is not of good health. During machine milking, the cups
and the milking machines if not cleaned regularly can contaminate milk with
a wide range of microorganisms.
The pathogenic bacteria may be introduced into the milk during
milking and handling by the following sources:
Healthy carrier : Mycobacterium, Brucella
animals
Animals with mastitis : Staphylococcus, E coli
Man : Staphylococcus sp., Steptococcus sp.
Environment : Listeria sp.Staphylococcus aureus,
Steptococcus, Listeria, Mycobacterium
tuberculosis, bovis, Brucella, E. coli
ii) Fecal Contamination:

The fecal contamination can introduce many harmful and spoilage
causing microorganisms into the milk. These transmissions can be done by
the hands of the milkman, by the animal at milking, by the tail and the
splashes when the bucket is near the animals. The examples of
contaminating bacteria during such incidences are E. coli, Salmonella,
Clostridium.
iii) Contamination by environmental germs :
When milking is carried out in open air psychrotrophes flora
(Listeria, Pseudomonas), Enterobacterias, yeast and fungus can contaminate
milk. These microorganisms are found in the air of farm and if cleaning or
the sweeping of the milking floor has been carried out just before the
milking, the number of such microorganisms can be high in the
environment.
iv) Multiplication of bacteria on milking equipments:
Inefficient cleaning and disinfecting of material and/or poor drying
lead of accumulation of a high number of microorganisms on the surfaces of
such equipments and get entry into the milk. The surfaces of milking and
cooling equipment are a main source of milk contamination and frequently
the principal cause of consistently high bacterial counts. Simple, inexpensive
cleaning and disinfecting routines can virtually eliminate this source of
contamination.
II. Milk contamination at collection centers
a) Cross contamination: cleaning and inefficient disinfection of

materials. Absence or bad quality control before mixing.
b) Human contamination: hand contacts with the milk at the time of
sampling and mixing of milk.
c) Contamination by environmental germ: use of contaminated water for
cleaning purpose.
III. Milk contamination during transport
a) growing of microbial flora: carrying time too long .
b) contamination by material: hand contacts with the milk at the time of
sampling.

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Microbial and non microbial contaminants:

Their sources and entry points in milk during various stages of

Milk in cans Collection in

i) Contamination by pathogenic bacteria:

ii) Fecal Contamination:

II. Milk contamination at collection centers

a) Cross contamination: cleaning and inefficient disinfection of

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