Milk Hygiene Research Articles

Prevalence and factors related to dental caries among pre-school children of Saddar town, Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDental caries is highly prevalent and a significant public health problem among children throughout the world. Epidemiological data regarding prevalence of dental caries amongst Pakistani pre-school children is very limited. The objective of this study is to determine the frequency of dental caries among pre-school children of Saddar Town, Karachi, Pakistan and the factors related to caries.MethodsA cross-sectional study of 1000 preschool children was conducted in Saddar town, Karachi. Two-stage cluster sampling was used to select the sample. At first stage, eight clusters were selected randomly from total 11 clusters. In second stage, from the eight selected clusters, preschools were identified and children between 3- to 6-years age group were assessed for dental caries.ResultsCaries prevalence was 51% with a mean dmft score being 2.08 (±2.97) of which decayed teeth constituted 1.95. The mean dmft of males was 2.3 (±3.08) and of females was 1.90 (±2.90). The mean dmft of 3, 4, 5 and 6- year olds was 1.65, 2.11, 2.16 and 3.11 respectively. A significant association was found between dental caries and following variables: age group of 4-years (p-value ² 0.029, RR = 1.248, 95% Bias corrected CI 0.029-0.437) and 5-years (p-value ² 0.009, RR = 1.545, 95% Bias corrected CI 0.047-0.739), presence of dental plaque (p-value ² 0.003, RR = 0.744, 95% Bias corrected CI (−0.433)-(−0.169)), poor oral hygiene (p-value ² 0.000, RR = 0.661, 95% Bias corrected CI (−0.532)-(−0.284)), as well as consumption of non-sweetened milk (p-value ² 0.049, RR = 1.232, 95% Bias corrected CI 0.061-0.367).ConclusionHalf of the preschoolers had dental caries coupled with a high prevalence of unmet dental treatment needs. Association between caries experience and age of child, consumption of non-sweetened milk, dental plaque and poor oral hygiene had been established.

Pilot survey of raw whole milk in China for Listeria monocytogenes using PCR

Milk of dairy cows can harbor a variety of microorganisms including Listeria monocytogenes, the first to be identified as an important foodborne pathogen. This pilot survey aimed to assess the presence of L. monocytogenes in raw whole milk in 15 provinces of China between June 2009 and October 2010. All 5211 analyzed samples were compliant using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection. A total of 19 samples were positive in 9 provinces, while no PCR-positive samples were obtained in the other 6 provinces. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in raw milk was 0.36% in the 15 Chinese provinces, while the prevalence of positive areas within these dates was 0.23–1.2% among the nine provinces. Among the investigated 24 herds, rates of L. monocytogenes positivity were 0.17–2.89% in 13 herds, whereas they were 0% in the other 11 herds. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in PCR-positive data between organized farms (0.19%) and private herds (1.83%). These results indicate that there is a lower risk of contamination in the milking process in China when more attention is paid to maintaining good milking and strict hygiene practices, especially in private herds.

Risk factors for Prototheca mastitis on Ontario dairy farms

Prototheca spp are unicellular, colorless algae that can cause incurable mastitis in dairy cows. Prototheca mastitis has been reported in many regions including North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Mastitis caused by these algae is rare, and knowledge about the risk factors for Prototheca mastitis is lacking. Anecdotal reports have suggested that improper milking hygiene, unsanitary environmental conditions, and the use of intramammary antimicrobial treatment may influence the development of the disease. However, scientific evidence in support of these risk factors has often been weak because of very small sample sizes or lack of comparison groups. In Ontario, mastitis caused by Prototheca spp appears to be an emerging disease, which leaves veterinarians and farmers with many questions and challenges. The aim of this case-control study was to formally assess herd-level risk factors for Prototheca mastitis on Ontario dairy farms.

Immunological Response of Bovine Mammary Cell Lines in Mastitis and Milk Hygiene

Mammary adherent cells (MAC-T) were infected with six isolates of Streptococcus uberis (S. uberis). Three isolates were cases of mastitis in dairy cows and belonged to clonal complex 5, 143, which is associated with virulence and three were from cows with no clinical or laboratory evidence of mastitis. All these isolates belonged to clonal complex 86 which contains strains of low virulence. After incubation at 37oC for 24 h, there were no significant differences in the number of adherent or internalized S. uberis between mastitis (M) and non- mastitis (NM) isolates (p&gt; 0.05).The levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α), measured in treated MAC-T cells supernatant with S. uberis by ELISA, were significantly elevated in cultures infected with NM isolates compared with M isolates, after 10h (p&gt;0.05) and 24h (p&gt;0.001) respectively. Expression of TNF-α, TLR2, TLR4 and NFkB genes were examined by Real-Time PCR. There are highly significant differences in the timing of expression. The levels of TNF-α mRNA increased 36 fold after 6 hour of infecting cells with M strains, but not in NM strains of S. uberis. These results suggest a vital role for TNF-α, in the defence against S. uberis in the bovine mammary glands.

Factors associated with cattle cleanliness on Norwegian dairy farms

Animal cleanliness in dairy herds is essential to ensure hygienic milk production, high microbial quality of carcasses, good hide quality, and animal welfare. The objective of this study was to identify on-farm factors associated with dairy cattle cleanliness. The study also examined differences in risk factors and preventive factors between contrasting herds regarding cattle cleanliness. In total, 60 dairy herds, selected from a national database, were visited by 2 trained assessors during the indoor feeding period in February and March 2009. In Norwegian abattoirs, cattle are assessed and categorized according to hide cleanliness, based on national guidelines, using a 3-category scale. Dirty animals result in deductions in payment to farmers. “Dirty” herds (n=30) were defined as those that had most deductions in payment registered due to dirty animals slaughtered in 2007 and 2008. “Clean” herds (n=30) were those that had similar farm characteristics, but slaughtered only clean animals during 2007 and 2008, and thus had no deductions in payments registered. The dairy farms were located in 4 different areas of Norway. Relevant information, such as housing, bedding, feeding, and management practices concerning cleaning animals and floors, was collected during farm visits. In addition, the cleanliness of each animal over 1 yr of age (4,991 animals) was assessed and scored on a 5-point scale, and later changed to a dichotomous variable during statistical analysis. Milk data (milk yield and somatic cell counts) were obtained from the Norwegian Dairy Herd Recording System. Factors associated with dirty animals in all 60 herds were, in ranked order, high air humidity, many dirty animals slaughtered during the previous 2 yr, lack of preslaughter management practices toward cleaning animals, animal type (heifers and bulls/steers), housing (freestalls and pens without bedding), manure consistency, and lack of efforts directed toward cleaning the animals throughout the year. Additional factors associated with dirty animals in the dirty herds were water leakage from drinking nipples/troughs into lying areas, bedding type, and feed type. In the clean herds, additional risk factors were water leakage from drinking nipples/troughs and low milk yield.

Characterization of microbiological quality of milk collected in expansion tank

For evaluation of microbiological conditions of raw milk and studies of some factors that influence their quality 24 properties were examined dairy located in the western region of Parana. There were three collections for aerobic mesophilic microorganism analysis and coliform and thermotolerant. There was also one collect for verification of microorganisms health quality indicators (coliform and thermotolerant) of the water of these properties. For the analysis of mesophilic microorganisms 83.33% meet the requirement for default count of Normative Instruction No. 62. For total coliform, 46.87% of the samples have been checked have values above the recommended. For coliforms thermotolerants, there was 31.25% of contamination in samples. Regarding water samples, all were in agreement with the resolution of Conama (2005) but the presence of coliform thermotoleran is undesirable. It is concluded that further changes are required during the production of milk, with improvements in the quality and hygiene of milk. .

Detection ofSalmonellaspp.,Candida albicans,Aspergillusspp., and Antimicrobial Residues in Raw and Processed Cow Milk from Selected Smallholder Farms of Zimbabwe

A cross-sectional study was conducted to detect the presence of Salmonella spp., Candida albicans, Aspergillus spp., and antimicrobial residues in raw milk (n = 120) and processed cow milk (n = 20) from smallholder dairy farms from three sites in Zimbabwe. Culture and isolation of Salmonella spp., C. albicans, and Aspergillus spp. were performed using selective media, while antimicrobial residues were detected by a dye reduction test. No Salmonella, but C. albicans (17.5%; 21/120), Aspergillus spp. (0.8%; 1/120), and antimicrobial residues (2.5%; 3/120) were detected from raw milk. C. albicans was isolated from all three sites, while Aspergillus spp. and antimicrobial residues were detected from sites 1 and 3, respectively. From processed milk, only C. albicans (5%) was isolated while Aspergillus spp. and antimicrobial residues were not detected. These results suggested low prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Aspergillus spp. and a relatively high prevalence of C. albicans in raw milk from the smallholder farms. The potential public health risks of C. albicans and the detected antimicrobial residues need to be considered. Thus, educating farmers on improving milking hygiene and storage of milk and establishing programmes for monitoring antimicrobial residues may help to improve the safety of milk from smallholder farms.

Somatic cell count, total bacterial count and acidity properties of milk in Khartoum State, Sudan

This work was conducted in Khartoum State to study the limits of the somatic cell count (SCC), the total bacteria count (TBC) and the acidity of the raw cow milk produced in the three geographical areas of the Khartoum State. A total of 644 stratified random raw milk samples were collected during summer and winter. The different counts and acidity were evaluated in the farm milk and compared to that sold in the market. Total bacterial count was carried out using the pour plate count. The bacterial count of equal or less than 9 × 104 cfu/ml in the state was 23.9% with a higher percentage in winter (35.4%) compared to 19.4% in summer. The majority of the samples (55.3%) had a count of less than or equal 9 × 105 cfu/ml. The percentage in winter was (71.9%) while in the summer it was (48.1%). Regarding the SCC, it was done using new man stain. The percentage of samples of less than 5 × 105 were (27%) in the state. The percentage was higher in winter (43.3%) than summer (20.8%).The majority of the samples (83.4%) were equal to or less than 7.5 × 105 (93.8%) were in winter and (81.5%) in summer. Regarding acidity which was carried out using the titration method, the percentage of samples of 0.2 titratable acidity were 64.3% in the state. The percentage in winter was 73.6% while in summer it was 60.7%. Statistically significant correlations at 0.01 levels between SCC, acidity and TBC were determined. The differences between the counts of SSC and TBC in winter and summer were statistically significant while the difference between the regions was insignificant. Key words: Sudan, milk hygiene, somatic cell count (SCC), total bacteria count (TBC), acidity.

The prevalence of clinical and subclinical mastitis in dairy cows in the central region of Fars province, south of Iran

Summary Mastitis continues to be one of the economically most important diseases in dairy farming. Forty-six licensed dairy farms in the central region of Fars province were randomly selected in order to participate in a seasonal prevalence study. A cross-sectional study was designed to determine prevalence at cow and quarter level based on clinical signs for clinical mastitis and indirect tests for subclinical mastitis. 6180 quarters from 1545 dairy cows were tested by clinical examination and California mastitis test (CMT). Milk samples from both clinical and subclinical quarters were collected for bacteriological culture. 4714 (76.28%) quarters were healthy, 1335 (21.6%) quarters were positive by results of CMT (as indicated to subclinical mastitis), 44 (0.71%) quarters showed clinical mastitis signs and 87 (1.41%) quarters were blind. The clinical and subclinical mastitis prevalence at cow level was 2.2 and 42.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of mastitis between different quarters, seasons and cities. The most prevalent isolated bacteria were coagulase positive staphylococci followed by Streptococci, Escherichia coli and coagulase negative staphylococci. Insufficient control measures such as pre and post milking hygiene and dry cow therapy in dairy farms and limited knowledge of farmers on the importance, identification and control of mastitis, especially subclinical forms, can be the main causes for the high prevalence of mastitis in Fars province.

Relationship of Somatic Cell Count and Mastitis: An Overview

Mastitis is characterized by physical, chemical and bacteriological changes in the milk and pathological changes in the glandular tissue of the udder and affects the quality and quantity of milk. The bacterial contamination of milk from the affected cows render it unfit for human consumption and provides a mechanism of spread of diseases like tuberculosis, sore-throat, Q-fever, brucellosis, leptospirosis etc. and has zoonotic importance. Somatic cell count (SCC) is a useful predictor of intramammary infection (IMI) that includes leucocytes (75%) i.e. neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, erythrocytes and epithelial cells (25%). Leucocytes increase in response to bacterial infection, tissue injury and stress. Somatic cells are protective for the animal body and fight infectious organisms. An elevated SCC in milk has a negative influence on the quality of raw milk. Subclinical mastitis is always related to low milk production, changes to milk consistency (density), reduced possibility of adequate milk processing, low protein and high risk for milk hygiene since it may even contain pathogenic organisms. This review collects and collates relevant publications on the subject. (

STUDY OF HYGIENIC QUALITY OF BIONDA DELL’ADAMELLO GOAT MILK

The objective of the study was to determine the microbiological and hygienic quality of milk of Bionda dell&rsquo;Adamello goats. Forty-three samples of bulk untreated goats&rsquo; milk and 42 milk-filter samples, obtained from six farms, were analysed. The results showed the absence of Listeria spp. in all the milk and milk-filter samples. Considerable differences were observed in terms of milk hygiene (related to total coliforms, E. coli and plate count at 30&deg;C) as the microbiological quality of the milk from only half (3/6) of the farms resulted satisfactory. This finding provides that the ideal way of using the milk of Bionda dell&rsquo;Adamello goats is producing cheese matured for more than 60 days, as the typical cheese Fatul&igrave;.

STUDY OF HYGIENIC QUALITY OF BIONDA DELL’ADAMELLO GOAT MILK

The objective of the study was to determine the microbiological and hygienic quality of milk of Bionda dell’Adamello goats. Forty-three samples of bulk untreated goats’ milk and 42 milk-filter samples, obtained from six farms, were analysed. The results showed the absence of Listeria spp. in all the milk and milk-filter samples. Considerable differences were observed in terms of milk hygiene (related to total coliforms, E. coli and plate count at 30°C) as the microbiological quality of the milk from only half (3/6) of the farms resulted satisfactory. This finding provides that the ideal way of using the milk of Bionda dell’Adamello goats is producing cheese matured for more than 60 days, as the typical cheese Fatuli.

Quality of raw milk from a farm with automatic milking system in the Czech Republic

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of raw cow’s milk from an automatic milking system. Samples of milk (48) were analyzed chemically and microbiologically and the somatic cell count, freezing point and inhibitor residues were determined. For comparison purposes, milk analysis data from two farms using conventional machine milking and 2008 milk analysis report data for the Czech Republic were used. All physical and chemical characteristics of the study samples were within the established limits. The average content (%) of chemical indicators was following: fat 3.79 ± 0.18, protein 3.46 ± 0.06, casein 2.67 ± 0.09, lactose 4.82 ± 0.04 and NFS 8.96 ± 0.11. The values for freezing point and somatic cells count were 221 ± 46.103·ml-1 and -0.521 ± 0.003 °C respectively. No inhibitor residue was detected in any of the samples. Microbiological values were lower than the limits: the total microbial count (2.3·104 CFU·ml-1), psychrotrophic count (6.3·103 CFU·ml-1), coliform count (2.4·101 CFU·ml-1), Escherichia coli count (3.2·101 CFU·ml-1), enterococci count (8.5·101 CFU·ml-1) and Staphylococcus aureus count (1.1·101 CFU·ml-1). The study provides a comprehensive view on the quality of milk produced by robotic milking. The automatic milking system seems to be excellent in terms of milking and milk hygiene.

Risk factors for dirty dairy cows in Norwegian freestall systems

Cow cleanliness is important for ensuring hygienic milk production and the well-being of dairy cows. The aim of this cross-sectional field study was to describe cow cleanliness in freestall-housed dairy herds and to examine risk factors related to thigh cleanliness. Cow cleanliness (n=2,335), management-related variables (e.g., ventilation and use of sawdust-bedded stalls), and housing-related variables (e.g., freestall design and number of cows per stall) were recorded in 232 Norwegian freestall-housed dairy herds. Cleanliness was scored on a 4-point scale ranging from clean (1) to very dirty (4). The cows were relatively clean on the udder and belly, dirtier on thigh and the rear part of the body, and dirtiest on the legs, with cleanliness scores (mean ± SD) of 1.64±0.62, 1.62±0.65, 2.02±0.75, 1.77±0.58, and 2.30±0.59, respectively. With dirty thighs as the response variable, several variables were tested in a logistic regression mixed model and with repeated measurements within herd and cow. A high number of cows per freestall [odds ratio (OR)=3.45], no use of sawdust as bedding (OR=3.24) versus use of sawdust, and a low-positioned (<0.85m above stall floor) upper head rail “enclosing” the front of the stall (OR=1.42 to 2.13) versus a position >0.85m were all risk factors for dirty thighs on the cows. Furthermore, liquid manure (score 2) versus more consistent manure (score 1; OR=1.66) and less tame cows (score 2) versus tame cows (score 1) were associated with an increased risk of dirty thighs (OR=1.24). The cleanest cows were associated with indoor temperatures in the range from 10 to 15°C. For each 10-percentage-unit increase in relative air humidity, the risk of dirty thighs increased (OR=1.32). Freestalls with a construction hindering normal lying, rising, and standing movements should be avoided. Furthermore, focus is needed on indoor climate and manure consistency to obtain cows with clean thighs.

Management and sanitary practices in ewe dairy farms and bulk milk somatic cell count

This study was done to establish relationships between management and sanitary practices on ewe dairy farms and the quality of milk produced. For this purpose, a survey was carried out on 118 farms and a total of 121,117 animals in the Castilla-La Mancha region (Southeast Spain) in which the veterinarians of the Association of Sanitary Defence participated. Flocks varied considerably in size, ranging from 120-7,200 sheep, with an average milking period lasting 3-5 months and milk yields of between 50 and 150 litres per lactation by mechanical systems on 75.0% of farms. Sanitary practices during milking are still not commonplace; 53.3% performed post milking teat disinfection, 37.0% did the California mastitis test, 31.1% had a dry therapy programme and only 18.6% of farms kept records of animals with clinical mastitis. Nonetheless, the results revealed that 42.7% of the farms surveyed showed good quality hygienic milk (bulk milk somatic cell count, BMSCC&lt;600 × 103 cells mL-1). On most farms, the rate of animals with clinical mastitis was less than 5.0%, while that of subclinical mastitis cases was less than 5.0% on 25.6% of farms. Certain factors like mechanical milking, post milking teat disinfection, recording animals with clinical mastitis and controlling the frequency of animals with subclinical mastitis did not exceed 5.0%. Those risk factors for increased BMSCC levels were significant. Therefore, farmers are recommended to bear these factors in mind, and to instil the importance of carrying out these practices when implementing a good dairy farm practices system.

Phenotyping and genotyping of streptococci in bovine milk in Argentinean dairy herds

Most veterinary and milk hygiene laboratories identify streptococci and enterococci based on serological and biochemical tests. The analysis of 16S rDNA was suggested to be used for more exact identification; however, its use has not been considered so far in monitoring studies. The objective of the present study was to compare a conventional phenotypic method with restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of 16S rDNA (16S rDNA RFLP) for identification of streptococci isolated from composite milk samples collected in connection with intramammary infection (IMI) in six Argentinean dairy farms. Composite milk samples (n = 1223) from cows belonging to six herds were collected for bacteriological analysis. Twelve reference strains and fifty streptococci or streptococcuslike isolates were identified to species level by the API 20 Strep system, conventional biochemical tests and 16S rDNA RFLP in a blind assay. The remaining streptococci or streptococcus-like isolates (n = 40) were identified to the species level both by 16S rDNA RFLP and conventional biochemical tests. As indicated by Kappa values, agreement between the 16S rDNA RFLP and the conventional scheme for identification of Streptococcus agalactiae, S. dysgalactiae, S. uberis, S. equinus and Enterococcus faecalis was 0.91, 0.73, 0.92, 0.81 and 0.85, respectively. Together with the less frequently isolated streptococcal species, the conventional scheme correctly identified 77 out of 90 isolates (85.5%). Thus, the use of 16S rDNA RFLP is considered valuable for monitoring studies due to its affordable cost for standard laboratories.

Factors influencing variation of bulk milk antibiotic residue occurrence, somatic cell count, and total bacterial count in dairy sheep flocks

To study the variations of bulk tank milk variables in dairy ewe flocks and to identify the main target practices and flock groups to improve milk quality and safety, a total of 71,228 records of antibiotic residue (AR) and milk yield and 68,781 records of somatic cell count (SCC) and total bacterial count (TBC) were obtained over 5 yr from the same 209 dairy ewe flocks of the Assaf breed belonging to the Consortium for Ovine Promotion of Castilla-León (Spain). Based on a logistic regression model, year, month, semester, SCC, TBC, dry therapy, and milk yield significantly contributed to AR variation. High SCC was associated with increased AR violations. When antibiotic dry therapy was implemented, AR occurrence was higher than when this practice was not used. A polynomial monthly distribution throughout the year was observed for AR occurrence; the highest values were in autumn, coinciding with low milk yields per flock. Yearly occurrences drastically diminished from 2004 (1.36%) to 2008 (0.30%), probably as a result of effective educational programs. The mixed-model ANOVA of factors influencing variation in SCC and TBC indicated that year, month, AR, dry therapy group, milking type, and year interactions were significant variation factors for SCC and TBC; mathematical model accounted for 74.1 and 35.4% of total variance for each variable, respectively. Differences in management and hygiene practice caused significant SCC and TBC variations among flocks and within flocks throughout the 5-yr study. Over time, continuously dry treated flocks showed lower logSCC (5.80) and logTBC (4.92) than untreated (6.10 and 5.18, respectively) or discontinuously dry treated (6.01 and 5.05, respectively) flocks. Continuously dry treated flocks had lower AR occurrences than did discontinuously dry treated flocks. As a whole, AR occurrence and SCC and TBC bulk tank milk variables can be used for monitoring mammary health and milk hygiene and safety in dairy sheep throughout time.

Raw milk hygiene at farms, processing units and local markets in Burkina Faso

The aim of this study was to investigate raw milk hygiene and composition along the dairy chain in Burkina Faso. Milk samples were taken during the rainy and dry seasons from individual cows, farm tanks, milk collectors’ churns, dairy processing unit tanks and at local markets. The results showed lower total bacteria count (10–10 4 cfu/ml) in individual cow milk than later in the dairy chain. The total bacteria count in farm tank milk was 10 6 cfu/ml and 10 7 cfu/ml in tank milk at dairy processing units, in milk collectors’ churns and in market buckets. Somatic cell count (100,000–150,000 cells/ml) did not show significant variation between individual cow milk and in the rest of the chain. Higher pH and lower milk fat and lactose contents were found in market bucket milk than in farm and processing unit tank milks. It was concluded that milk from the cow is of good hygienic quality, but milk is often contaminated after milking, and the hygienic quality is very low when it reaches the consumers. Also, milk sold at local markets had low fat and lactose contents and high pH during the rainy season, indicating that the milk may have been diluted, which may further increase the hazards for human health.

Aspectos citológicos e microbiológicos do leite em propriedades no sistema orgânico de produção

A produção de leite no sistema orgânico tem despertado o interesse dos produtores rurais, pelo aumento de consumo de produtos naturais. Estudaram-se os aspectos citológicos e microbiológicos do leite no sistema orgânico de produção em quatro propriedades no município de Botucatu, SP, utilizando métodos como CMT, exame microbiológico das amostras positivas, contagem de células somáticas (CCS/mL de leite) e Contagem de Unidades Formadoras de Colônias (UFC de microrganismos mesófilos/mL de leite) em amostras individuais de leite em animais com pelo menos um teto positivo ao CMT. Foi também realizado a CCS/mL de leite e UFC/mL de leite, e exame microbiológico de amostras de leite do conjunto (tanque) de cada propriedade. Das 150 glândulas mamárias examinadas, 66 (44,00%) amostras foram positivas ao CMT, com isolamento de Corynebacterium bovis em 37,90%, Staphylococcus aureus (18,20%), S. epidermidis (15,20%), Streptococcus uberis (3,00%) e S. dysgalactiae (3,00%), e isolamento de mais de um agente bacteriano em 7,60% das amostras. Os valores de CCS/mL das amostras do leite de conjunto estiveram dentro dos limites de normalidade em três das quatro propriedades (&lt; 400x10³), por outro lado considerando a UFC/mL em três das quatro propriedades observou-se altos índices (8,5x10(5); 1,5x10(6); 4,1x10(5)). Obteve-se o isolamento de microrganismos ambientais, como Escherichia coli e Pseudomonas aeruginosa, sugerindo a contaminação do leite durante ou após a ordenha, o que reforça a importância de atividades de educação sanitária para obtenção higiênica do leite.

Compliance of local government towards controlling the informal milk-producing sector in South Africa

The purpose of this paper is to assess the compliance of local government (LG) (metropolitan and district municipalities) with legislative requirements concerning the control of milk hygiene at production level. Municipal health services (MHS) managers are playing an increasingly important role through legislation to ensure the health and well-being of consumers and to secure consumer trust in the product. A survey questionnaire targeting 52 MHS managers or designated persons (directly responsible for milk control) at the various metropolitan municipalities (metros) and district municipalities (DMs) in South Africa was conducted. At the time of the survey the majority of metros and DMs had not been authorised by the Ministry of Health in accordance with Section 23(1) of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act 54 of 1972) in their respective areas of jurisdiction. Respondents indicated that a notable number of metros and DMs had not authorised their environmental health practitioners (EHPs) to administer the provisions of the above-mentioned Act. In accordance with this Act, this study concludes that the respective national and provincial governments, through their various departments, have to support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to exercise power and perform their functions in this regard.