MICROBIAL COUNTS OF INDIVIDUAL PRODUCER AND COMMINGLED GRADE A RAW MILK1

Abstract

Microbial populations of Grade A raw milk samples from 105 individual producers and 74 bulk tank trucks (commingled) were enumerated by Standard Plate Count (SPC), psychrotrophic count (PBC), coliform count (CC), laboratory pasteurized count (LPC), thermophilic count (TBC), yeast and mold count (Y&M), and special penicillin (PEN) and crystal violet tetrazolium (CVT) agar count procedures. In addition, microbial populations were determined by the SPC, PBC, PEN, and CVT procedures after preliminary incubation (PI) of samples. Initial mean counts obtained on individual producer samples were generally lower than those for commingled samples. However, producer samples had higher mean counts after PI. Growth ratios were lower for commingled than for individual producer samples indicating slower growth during PI. Results obtained by the PBC, PEN, and CVT procedures were similar when viewed as correlation coefficients, distribution of samples according to microbial counts, mean counts, and growth ratios during PI. Before PI, the correlation between these three tests was poor and lacked statistical significance when the PBC was <50,000/ml. After PI, the tests were highly correlated (P<0.01) and the r values ranged from 0.8 to 0.9 for samples with PBC levels above 108/ml.