What the study found
Goat milk and fresh cheese samples from the Metropolitan Area of San José, Costa Rica showed high bacterial counts in the milk and cheese, while the cheese samples generally showed better hygiene indicators than the milk. The authors report no isolation of Salmonella spp. or Listeria monocytogenes in the samples analyzed.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors state that the study was done to evaluate the products’ impact in the economic field and as a potential risk for public health. They suggest the results are relevant because goat milk and goat cheese are increasingly produced, industrialized, and consumed, yet had not been studied in Costa Rica.
What the researchers tested
The researchers analyzed 25 raw goat milk samples taken by manual milking from 5 producers on 5 different dates, and 15 cheese samples made with pasteurized milk from 3 producers. They measured spoilage bacteria, hygiene indicators, fecal contamination, manipulation indicators, and pathogens, including total aerobic count, lactic bacteria count, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp.
What worked and what didn't
High total aerobic counts and lactic bacteria counts were found in both milk and cheese, which the authors associate with reduced shelf life. Total coliforms were found in 100% of milk samples beyond the limits established by Costa Rican legislation for raw milk for human consumption, and fecal coliforms were found in 76% of milk samples; in contrast, all cheese samples except one were negative for these indicators, suggesting good manufacturing practices. Staphylococcus aureus counts were low, and Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not isolated.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe the study’s limitations in detail. The findings are based on samples from one metropolitan area, with 25 milk samples and 15 cheese samples from a small number of producers.
Key points
- High bacterial counts were found in both goat milk and fresh cheese samples.
- Total coliforms were present in all milk samples beyond Costa Rican legal limits for raw milk.
- Fecal coliforms were found in 76% of milk samples.
- All cheese samples except one were negative for coliform indicators, suggesting good manufacturing practices.
- Staphylococcus aureus counts were low, and Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not isolated.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Goat milk showed high bacterial counts in San José samples
- Image credit:
- Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels
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