Effectiveness of the sanitation regimes used by dairy actors to control microbial contamination of plastic jerry cans’ surfaces

Abstract

Background: The most common milk handling containers used by dairy actors along the informal milk value chain in developing countries are plastics jerry cans which are difficult to effectively be cleaned thus contributing immensely to milk contamination and consequently post-harvest losses. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of some common cleaning regimes used by the dairy actors in Kenya against reduction of surface microbial load on jerry cans. Milk handling plastic jerry can containers (n = 16) were obtained from dairy actors and then subjected to four different commonly used cleaning regimes alongside a control experiment of aluminium cans (n = 4). These containers were aseptically swabbed in three replicates before and after the application of a cleaning regime and the swabs (n = 120) analyzed for Total Viable Count (TVC), Total Coliform Count (TCC) and Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB). The quantitative mean difference of the bacterial load reduction between before and after the application of a cleaning regime was used as the measure of its effectiveness. Results: The study found out that irrespective of the cleaning, the type of container was significant (P < 0.001) in the reduction of microbial contaminants, whereby the aluminium cans had the highest microbial load reduction of 86, 85 and 96 % for TVC, TCC and LAB respectively as compared to 40, 28 and 42 % for TVC, TCC and LAB respectively for plastic jerry cans. The use of a commercial scourer in the cleaning was found to significantly reduce (P < 0.05) only TVC and TCC. Conclusions: The results from this study explains the unsuitability of plastic jerry cans in handling of milk and a risk factor for milk post-harvest losses in Kenya through microbial contamination.

Coliforms Contamination and Hygienic Status of Milk Chain in Emerging Economies

“…This offers ideal temperature for growth and multiplication of bacteria after initial contamination. The problem is aggravated further by the lack of basic infrastructure like poor state Journal website: http://www.jfqhc.com of roads especially during the rainy season and lack of refrigeration facilities to curb the bacterial growth (Godefay and Molla, 2000;Wafula et al, 2016). The poor condition of the roads makes time taken to transport milk from the producers who are mostly in rural areas to the consumers who are in urban centers.…”

“…The milk transportation ways range from motorbikes, buses, trucks to animals such as donkeys, which do not have refrigeration systems. Ideally, during transportation of milk, the cold chain must be maintained and on arrival at milk reception establishment, the temperature of the milk should not be more than 10 °C (Jay et al, 2005;Wafula et al, 2016). Figure 1 shows some unhygienic milk handling practices in Kenya (as an example of emerging economies) which are risk factors for coliforms contamination.…”

“…It has also been established in previous studies that higher levels of bacterial contamination in milk result from hand milking compared to milk obtained by the use of milking machines (Filipoviet and Kokaj, 2009;Millogo et al, 2008). Many smallholder farmers in the emerging economies practice hand milking because machine milking is not econom-ic for 2-3 heads of cattle in some African countries with low incomes such as Kenya (Fuquay et al, 2011) Milk containers Many milk handlers use plastic containers along the informal value chains, including jerry cans and buckets during milk handling practices such as milking, farm bulking, and its distribution (Wafula et al, 2016). The plastic containers in comparison with aluminum cans are cheap; therefore, they have widespread usage by the dairy actors in emerging economic world for milk handling.…”

Bacteriological milk quality: possible hygienic factors and the role of Staphylococcus aureus in raw bovine milk in and around Gondar, Ethiopia

“…In almost all areas in Ethiopia, the milk produced are traditionally processed to naturally fermented sour whole milk (ergo), traditional butter (Kibe), butter milk (Arera), cottage cheese (ayib), whey (aguat) and ghee (nitir kibe) dairy products. The traditional milk processing materials used are also similar among different areas which generally poor in quality of processing, includes; plastic container, Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) and clay pot (Duguma & Janssens 2014;Wafula et al 2016). Most of the very few enterprises currently operating in and around the capital entirely depend on the traditional sector for their milk intake, while others depend on it for the majority of their intake.…”

Handling practices and microbial contamination sources of raw milk in rural and peri urban small holder farms in Nakuru County, Kenya

“…Methods of containers cleaning also vary from use of hot water, scouring material and detergent types. Since no standards methods exist in cleaning these containers at the farm, the microbiological quality of the containers are not controlled and therefore remain risks to milk contamination (Wafula et al, 2016).…”