Raw Cow Research Articles

The influence of zootechnical factors on the composition of proteins in raw cow's milk

The scientific review is devoted to the current problem of the quality of raw materials in the production of dairy products. The purpose of the research is to update scientific data on the influence of zootechnical factors on the protein composition of raw cow›s milk. In the context of the development of the specialized nutrition market, an in-depth study of milk proteins is necessary as the most important source of essential amino acids. The authors reviewed the scientific works of domestic and foreign specialists, covering the influence of various factors on the protein composition of raw cattle milk. During the formation of the scientific review, the factors studied were divided into the following groups: selection-genetic, feed, temporal, zoohygienic and technological. This made it possible to determine the degree of influence of factors on milk quality indicators, especially proteins, and to trace their dependence on each other.

Spatial distribution and risk assessment of perchlorate in raw cow milk from China

Perchlorate is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant worldwide, recognized as an emerging thyroid toxicant. This study focused on the pollution status, spatial distribution, possible sources of perchlorate in raw cow milk collected from 155 dairy farms in China, as well as the health risk of exposure to perchlorate through dairy products. The results showed that the detection rate of perchlorate in raw milk was 100% with the mean of 15.9 μg/kg, indicating the ubiquitous contamination of perchlorate in raw milk from China. The simulation of spatial distributions indicated that the levels of perchlorate in raw milk were spatially correlated, and relatively high levels of perchlorate exist in certain parts of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, and Zhejiang, suggesting potential environmental perchlorate contamination in these regions. A positive correlation was found between the perchlorate level in milk and the perchlorate level in feed, indicating the transfer process of perchlorate from feed to milk. The hazard quotient (HQ) values of exposure to perchlorate by dairy products ranged between 0 and 2.14, with the mean of 0.0188 and P95 of 0.101, indicating relatively low health risk to perchlorate through dairy products. To our knowledge, this is the first nationwide study on the spatial distribution and risk assessment of perchlorate in raw cow milk from China.

Microbiological Quality of Raw Cow’s Milk Produced and Marketed System in the Town of Bongor, Chad

Background: Raw cow's Milk, intended for human consumption, is the complete product of the total and uninterrupted Milking of a healthy, well-fed and not overworked dairy cow. However, this raw Milk, even when Milked under adequate hygienic conditions, contains micro-organisms and spoils at room temperature. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the sanitary quality of raw Milk produced and marketed in the town of Bongor in Chad. Methodology: The study was carried out in Bongor, Province of Mayo-Kebbi-Est (Chad). It focused on 30 samples of raw Milk analyzed using the standard microbiology method for counting germs and expressing quality. Results: Total dissatisfaction was determined in our samples for TAMF, Total Coliforms and Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase. The bacterial load of Staphylococcus aureus was abnormally high in 80% of cases, 40% of samples were contaminated with Yeasts and Molds, and 23.30% of RSAs were found to compromise quality. Salmonella spp, which were absent from our cultures, and Bacillus cereus, whose count did not exceed the permitted legal standard, were the only parameters that did not compromise the food quality of the product. Conclusion: In view of these observations, consumers would be exposed to a real danger to their health if nothing is done to improve the microbiological quality of raw Milk.

Evaluation of methods for detection of Campylobacter in raw milk: A multi-country study

Raw milk is considered a high-risk source of Campylobacter due to faecal contamination from healthy cattle and farm environments, thus linking raw milk consumption to global outbreaks. Detection of Campylobacter in raw milk poses challenges due to low contamination levels and antibacterial properties of the milk. Culture-based protocols for Campylobacter detection in milk vary, mainly with regard to pH adjustment and the choice of enrichment broth.This European collaborative study was organised by the EU Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Campylobacter together with eight EU National Reference Laboratories (NRL) for Campylobacter with the purpose to evaluate methods for culture-based detection of Campylobacter in raw cow's milk. The study was divided into two parts, an interlaboratory part and an intralaboratory part, both organised around the same two protocols. The aim of protocol 1 was to evaluate the impact of pH adjustment and storage of the milk on the culturability of Campylobacter over time. Aliquots of the spiked milk were adjusted either to pH 7.0 or pH 7.6 or left unadjusted. The milk was stored up to 48 h at refrigerated temperature and Campylobacter was quantified according to ISO 10272-2 on day 0, 1 and 2. The aim of protocol 2 was to evaluate which enrichment broth, Bolton broth (BB) or Preston broth (PB), showed highest sensitivity in detection of Campylobacter. The spiked milk was enriched in BB and PB as described in ISO 10272-1:2017 or ISO 10272-1:2017/Amd1.2023. In the interlaboratory part, each milk batch was collected locally by each participating NRL/EURL and inoculated with the same Campylobacter strain. In the follow-up intralaboratory part, the EURL-Campylobacter repeated the tests in protocol 1 and 2 but used different Campylobacter strains and strains subjected to thermal stress prior to inoculation.The results show that pH adjustment of raw milk has a negligible impact on culture-based detection of Campylobacter, regardless of strain and level of environmental stress. The composition of milk and properties of the inoculated strain influence culture-based detection of Campylobacter over storage time, and strains subjected to additional stress prior to inoculation in milk are reduced in culturability much faster than the same strains prepared under normal conditions.Finally, the study showed that PB without Campylobacter growth supplement is less effective than BB in detecting Campylobacter in raw milk.

Modeling of Bacillus cereus evolution in pasteurized cow milk locally distributed at point of sale: a case of three companies in Tlemcen region, Algeria

Bacillus cereus is among the most hazardous bacteria that could reduce the shelf life of pasteurized milk and could threaten consumers’ health. These bacteria groups are known for their heat resistance and their ability to produce two types of toxins, diarrheic and emetic. This study aimed to enumerate the B. cereus in raw cow’s milk collected from three companies in the Tlemcen region, then modeled, based on a probabilistic approach, their evolution throughout the process, split into six steps, until the point of sale. At first, the analysis of 242 samples on MYP medium, shows a high prevalence between 92% and 98% of B. cereus with variable concentrations among the three companies. Throughout the storage of milk at refrigeration temperatures (2°C, 4°C and 5°C), no growth of B. cereus was estimated. Otherwise, the pasteurization process reduces the contamination level depending on pasteurization temperature as for company A, the mean concentration decreases from 1.53 log CFU/mL to 1.07 log CFU/mL. In this study, the distribution step at ambient temperature changes significantly the B. cereus concentration to reach a critical concentration during July and August. In conclusion, the quality of raw cow milk must be controlled before reception on the farm and the cold chain must be maintained throughout all process points until consumption.

Analysis of the zoonotic tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in raw milk and dairy products in mountain pastures of the Lombardy region, Italy.

Over the last few decades, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has become a growing public health problem in Europe. The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a zoonotic virus that affects the central nervous system (CNS). TBEV has been detected in 27 European countries, and the rise in TBE cases is mainly due to environmental and ecological factors, and factors that increase the risk of human exposure to infected ticks. The infection via the alimentary route is the second most common means of TBEV transmission to humans. Raw milk from infected goats, sheep, or cows has been identified as a source of human food-borne infections. This study aims to gather new information on the prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in raw goat's and cow's milk and related raw products in the Lombard Alps (Italy). This is important due to the close proximity of Lombardy to the Triveneto region, where TBE is endemic, and southern Switzerland, where numerous TBEV-positive mammals have been found. Throughout 2023, a passive monitoring plan was implemented on samples delivered for TBEV analyses from the Alpine pastures. In total, 248 specimens including raw milk, raw milk cheese, and butter were tested. This is the first monitoring of food at risk of TBEV transmission in a non-endemic region with evidence of TBEV circulation. Despite testing a wide range of dairy products, no sample tested positive for RNA-TBEV by real-time RT-PCR. Preliminary results suggest that raw milk and raw dairy products do not pose a significant risk of TBEV transmission to humans in the territory of Lombardy.

Molecular detection and phylogeny analysis of Coxiella burnetii detected from cattle and buffalo milk based on plasmid cbhE gene in West Azerbaijan of Iran

Humans and animals may get Q fever, which is caused by the Gram-negative coccobacillus Coxiella burnetii. The symptoms of Q fever may include a self-limiting febrile illness, pneumonia, endocarditis, or hepatitis. Infections are classified as either acute or persistent. Cattle, sheep, and goats are the most prevalent reservoir animals for this zoonosis. This research was conducted to identify C. burnetii using transposable and isocitrate dehydrogenase genes (IS1111, icd) and QpH1 plasmids. A total of 142 samples of raw buffalo and cow milk were collected from various locations within the West Azerbaijan region (see map). We used "nested" PCR techniques using primers based on the IS1111 and icd genes of C. burnetii, as well as conserved and variable portions of plasmid sequences, to identify C. burnetii and their plasmids in milk samples from buffalo and calves. Out of 142 milk samples that were positive for the chromosomal transposable genes (IS1111 and icd) at a rate of 16.9 percent (95 percent CI: 14.5 percent to 19.6 percent) and 7.1% (95 percent CI: 5.59 percent to 9.08 percent), respectively, 86 samples were positive for the QpH1 plasmid at a rate of 60.5 percent (95 percent CI: 52.35 percent to 68.2 percent). Based on a phylogenetic study of the icd and QpH1 genes, the majority of the isolates had a similarity of 99.45 to 99.9 percent. Conclusion: It was determined that the buffalo population in West Azerbaijan province represents a significant epidemiological factor with respect to Q fever and consequently public health.

Prevention of allergies and infections by minimally processed milk in infants-The MARTHA feasibility and safety trial.

Consumption of raw cow's milk has repeatedly been shown to protect from asthma, allergies, and respiratory infections. As raw milk bears potential health hazards, it cannot be recommended for prevention. Therefore, we performed an intervention study with microbially safe but otherwise minimally processed cow's milk. Here we describe feasibility and safety of the trial. The MARTHA trial (DRKS00014781) was set up as a double-blind randomized intervention in a population residing in Bavaria. Infants from 6 to 36 months of age consumed minimally processed cow's milk (intervention arm) or ultra-heat-treated (UHT) semi-skimmed milk (comparator arm). At the age of 6 to 12 months, 260 infants were enrolled, with 72% having a family history of atopy. The extensive screening system for milk consumption and symptoms suggestive of adverse events was well accepted with 22,988 completed weekly surveys and an average completion of 82% surveys sent out. The children consumed the study milk on average on 457 days (61% of intervention days). The intervention proved to be safe without any case of milk allergy or milk intolerance under the intervention in both arms. All 6 cases of serious adverse events were unrelated to milk. The most common reason was unscheduled hospitalization of more than 3 days. The intervention with minimally processed milk and the study instruments proved feasible. During the age of 6 to 36 months, there was no increased risk of milk allergy in a population with a substantial proportion of family history of atopy.

Influence of different genotype combinations of β-lactoglobulin and β-casein in cow milk on physicochemical and sensory properties of stirred yoghurt

In this study, stirred yoghurts were produced from Turkish Holstein cow milk with different genotype combinations of β-lactoglobulin and β-casein. The distribution of AA, AB, and BB genotypes of β-lactoglobulin and A1A1, A1A2, and A2A2 genotypes of β-casein was determined in a total of 135 cow milk samples. Raw cow milk samples containing AA genotype of β-LG exhibited higher non-fat total solids, protein, and fat contents in comparison to milk containing AB and BB genotypes of β-LG. Compared to the samples made from milk with other β-LG genotypes, the stirred yoghurt made from milk with β-LG AA genotype showed lower degree of syneresis and higher for hardness, apparent viscosity, and consistency coefficient. The lowest number of grains, the perimeter of grains, and the visual roughness values were obtained in the stirred yoghurts made from milk with BB genotype of β-LG and A2A2 genotype of β-CN. The sensory analysis revealed that β-CN genotypes of milk significantly influenced the overall acceptability scores of the stirred yoghurts, while β-LG genotypes did not significantly influence these scores except for the visual grainy score. The findings of this study showed that the selection of specific milk protein genotypes resulted in substantial differences in the physicochemical and sensory properties of stirred yoghurt.

An Update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus, Clade 2.3.4.4b.

Since the resurgence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus, clade 2.3.4.4b, during 2021, these viruses have spread widely among birds worldwide, causing poultry outbreaks and infections of a wide range of terrestrial and marine mammal species. During 2024, HPAI A(H5N1) virus, clade 2.3.4.4b, was detected in dairy cattle for the first time and caused an ongoing multistate outbreak, with high levels of virus documented in raw cow milk. Human infections with clade 2.3.4.4b viruses from exposures to infected poultry or dairy cattle have resulted in a wide spectrum of illness severity, from conjunctivitis or mild respiratory illness to severe and fatal pneumonia in different countries. Vigilance, and stronger global virologic surveillance among birds, poultry, terrestrial and marine mammals, and humans, with virus characterization and rapid data sharing, is needed to inform the threat of clade 2.3.4.4b viruses, as they continue to evolve, to public health.

Antibiotic resistance of bacteria isolates from raw cow milk

O leite permanece vulnerável à contaminação microbiana devido às condições ambientais favoráveis. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os perfis de suscetibilidade antimicrobiana de isolados bacterianos de leite bovino cru, obtido em quatro centros distintos de coleta a granel em Oyo, sudoeste da Nigéria. Foram coletadas 80 amostras de leite de vaca cru em condições assépticas. Um total de 20 amostras foram coletadas de cada um dos quatro centros de coleta em massa (Iseyin, Maya, Fashola e Alaga) em diferentes intervalos de tempo. Foram realizados contagem total de bactérias viáveis, isolamento e identificação de bactérias, bem como testes de sensibilidade a antibióticos pelo método de difusão em disco. Os resultados revelaram a presença de bactérias de cinco gêneros diferentes, nomeadamente Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Bacillus, Salmonella e Escherichia nas amostras de leite bovino cru. Os testes de suscetibilidade aos antibióticos demonstraram alta sensibilidade dos isolados bacterianos à ciprofloxacina, gentamicina e pefloxacina. Este estudo fornece evidências adicionais de que o leite bovino cru serve como meio propício para o crescimento de vários patógenos bacterianos de importância médica. É fortemente recomendado que sejam implementadas técnicas assépticas adequadas nos centros de recolha a granel para minimizar o risco de contaminação bacteriana.

Study the effect of lactoperoxidase activation in combination with heat treatment or nisin on the microbiological quality of raw milk

The aim of the current study was to improve the microbiological quality of raw cow milk by activating the lactoperoxidase system using either nisin or heat treatment. A central composite experimental design with three factors was used to evaluate the effect of thiocyanate (SCN), hydrogen peroxide (H202) and nisin on the microbiological quality of raw milk. The experimental response was measured in terms of the logarithmic reduction in total microbial, total coliforms count, yeasts and molds. Our results indicate that the combination of both treatments was highly effective in destroying various microorganisms. In fact, the optimal values of each parameter (SCN, H202 and nisin) for a 6log, 5log and 4log reductions of the initial number of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, coliforms, yeasts and molds were around 7 mg/L of SCN, 15 mg/L of H202 and 50 IU/mL of nisin, obtained after 72 h of incubation at 25 °C. Concerning the LPS activation at moderate temperature, our data suggest that this combination was very effective in destroying different microorganisms. Certainly, the total destruction of coliforms, yeasts and molds was noted after 96 h incubation at 25 °C after LPS activation for 4 h and 6 h followed by heat treatment (63 °C for 30 min). These results highlight a synergistic effect between the LPS activation and nisin or heat treatment in preserving microbiological quality of raw milk for 72 h or 96 h at 25 °C, respectively. Such treatments could be implemented by the dairy industry to enhance the quality of fresh milk and consequently of dairy products.

SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN SOMATIC CELL COUNT AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF RAW COW MILK

Understanding milk quality is essential for ensuring dairy products meet required standards. Somatic cell count (SCC) serves as a commonly used measure of milk quality within the dairy sector. While it offers valuable insights into the udder health of dairy cows, its reliability is influenced by various non-infectious factors, notably seasonal variations. This study aimed to investigate the impact of seasonal variations on SCC in raw cow milk, and subsequently, how these variations may lead to changes in its physicochemical composition. Over a year, 4,287 samples were collected from three dairies in Bitola, Macedonia. Standard accredited methodologies were employed, adhering to ISO 21187:2011 for total bacteria count (TBC), ISO 13366-2:2010 for SCC determination, ISO 9622:201 for analyzing fat, protein, and lactose content, and ISO 5764:2010 for determining freezing point. Statistical analysis using SPSS 15.0 was conducted on the acquired data. Significant differences were observed in the lactose content (p<0.05), but not in the milk fat content (p>0.05), while for the other parameters (proteins, freezing point, and solids-non-fat) seasonal variations were observed with the increase in SCC in summer and autumn. TBC in summer is the highest (1,992 x 103 CFU/ml) while in winter is the lowest (1,168 x 103 CFU/ml), which is not the case for SCC where the highest values are also in summer (537 x 103 SCC/ml), but the lowest values were determined in spring (449 x 103 SCC/ml). These findings underscore the importance of considering seasonal variations when evaluating milk quality and suggest potential implications for dairy industry practices and regulations.

Detection of Antimicrobial Proteins/Peptides and Bacterial Proteins Involved in Antimicrobial Resistance in Raw Cow's Milk from Different Breeds.

Proteins involved in antibiotic resistance (resistome) and with antimicrobial activity are present in biological specimens. This study aims to explore the presence and abundance of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and resistome proteins in bovine milk from diverse breeds and from intensive (Pezzata rossa, Bruna alpina, and Frisona) and non-intensive farming (Podolica breeds). Liquid atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (LAP-MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) profiling, bottom-up proteomics, and metaproteomics were used to comprehensively analyze milk samples from various bovine breeds in order to identify and characterize AMPs and to investigate resistome proteins. LAP-MALDI MS coupled with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) machine learning was employed as a rapid classification method for Podolica milk recognition against the milk of other bovine species. The results of the LAP-MALDI MS analysis of milk coupled with the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) demonstrate the potential of distinguishing between Podolica and control milk samples based on MS profiles. The classification accuracy achieved in the training set is 86% while it reaches 98.4% in the test set. Bottom-up proteomics revealed approximately 220 quantified bovine proteins (identified using the Bos taurus database), with cathelicidins and annexins exhibiting higher abundance levels in control cows (intensive farming breeds). On the other hand, the metaproteomics analysis highlighted the diversity within the milk's microbial ecosystem with interesting results that may reflect the diverse environmental variables. The bottom-up proteomics data analysis using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) revealed beta-lactamases and tetracycline resistance proteins in both control and Podolica milk samples, with no relevant breed-specific differences observed.

Chemical Preservatives, Adulterants, and Antibiotic Residues in Raw Cow’s Milk in Khartoum State, Sudan

Objective: This study investigate the influence of season on the occurrence of adulteration by chemical preservatives and antibiotic residues (beta-lactam, tetracycline and sulfonamides) in the raw milk in the main towns of Khartoum State, Sudan. Methods: The milk samples (n = 270) were randomly collected from farms (90 samples), groceries (90 samples) and vendors (90 samples) during late summer and winter seasons, 135 samples during each season. The samples were placed in cool cracked ice and transported immediately to the laboratory for analysis. Results: Data revealed a high presence of the added water in the milk collected from vendors during late summer season (7.70 +- 9.46%). Also, hydrogen peroxide, starch and formalin were detected only in the milk obtained from vendors. However, the higher percentages of salt (32%) and ammonium sulphate (28%) were obtained in the milk samples collected from the groceries during late summer season, while the occurrenc of ammonium sulphate was 26% in the samples collected from vendors during winter season. On the other hand, 93% of the milk samples examined during late summer season were positive for the occurrence of antibiotic residues compared to 55% that was detected during winter season. The highest percentage of antibiotic residues (26%) was found in milk from groceries during the winter season. Milk samples from vendors during late summer season contained beta-lactam, tetracycline, and sulfonamide in 19%, 13%, and 1% of samples, respectively, while these figures were 20%, 2%, and 3%, respectively, during winter season. Conclusions: The addition of water followed by the presence of salt and antibiotics are the most adulterants found in raw milk sold in Khartoum State especially from vendors during late summer season.

Dispersive solid phase extraction of some sulfonamide antibiotics from milk combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction

A covalent organic framework based dispersive solid phase extraction was developed for extraction of several antibiotics from raw cow's milk samples. For this purpose, first, the milk proteins were precipitated by zinc sulfate and after centrifugation, the analytes were extracted by the sorbent. Then, the analytes were desorbed by a proper eluent and were more concentrated by a microextraction procedure. The extractant was used for the analysis of the analytes by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector. Based on the results, acceptable extraction recoveries (62–71 %) and sensitive limits of detection and quantification in the ranges of 0.11–0.19 and 0.37–0.63 ng mL−1, respectively, were obtained. The method can analyze the analytes in broad concentration range. The introduced approach was used in the analysis of fifteen raw cow's milk samples. The obtained data showed that all samples were free of the analytes. According to these results, the method can be considered an efficient procedure for extracting the analytes from raw milk samples.

Comprehensive assessment of cow manure hydrothermal treatment products for land application and energy recovery

In this study, cow manure was hydrothermally treated in a 2-litre reactor for 1 h at temperatures between 100 °C and 260 °C. Both the raw manure and the solid and liquid products of the hydrothermal treatment were characterized to understand the fate of the inorganic elements and to assess the suitability of the products for land applications and energy recovery. Satisfactory elemental balances were obtained for the organic and most inorganic elements and indicated that most inorganic elements were incorporated into the solids with lower solubility, with the exception of potassium and sodium, which were mostly solubilized in the process water; calcium and chlorine were also solubilized to a lesser extent in the process water. Elemental composition and surface functional groups showed that hydrochar produced within the hydrothermal carbonization range (180–260 °C) seemed better suited for utilization as a soil amendment than raw cow manure. The potential for energy recovery lies in the anaerobic digestion of the process water, from which higher methane yields can be obtained than from raw cow manure. Lower temperatures in hydrothermal carbonization are considered a compromise for the safe land applications of cow manure, energy recovery from the process water, and enhanced dewaterability. These findings can help to eliminate bottlenecks in the upscaling of cow manure hydrothermal treatment and promote the circular bio-economy.

Rapid determination of α-lactalbumin in raw cow's milk and recombined milk using an immunochromatographic assay strip analysis method

α-Lactalbumin (α-La) is a common allergenic protein in dairy products, posing a potential hazard to human health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop an efficient and sensitive analytical method to assess the α-La content in food. After screening by cell fusion assay, we obtained a pair of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (mAb 1 and 9). The calculated limit of detection of the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was 3.99 ng/mL. By labeling mAbs with colloidal gold, we developed a sensitive and rapid immunochromatographic assay (ICA) strip method for the detection of α-La in dairy products. The established ICA strips showed high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of α-La, with a calculated limit of detection and a visual limit of detection of 10.33 and 50 ng/mL, respectively. The average recoveries for the determination of raw cow's milk and recombined milk using ICA strips ranged from 97.60% to 102.96%. The ICA strips showed good correlation with the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method when analyzing actual samples. The above results indicated that both methods can be used for the determination of α-La in dairy products.

A hurdle strategy based on the combination of non-thermal treatments to control diarrheagenic E. coli in cheese

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a multi-hurdle process combining mild High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) treatments and Thyme Oil (TO) edible films as a non-thermal method to combat pathogenic E. coli (aEPEC and STEC) in raw cow's-milk cheese stored at 7 °C and packaged under modified atmosphere. Changes in headspace atmosphere of cheese packs and treatment effects on Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) counts and diarrheagenic E. coli strains (aEPEC and STEC) were evaluated over a 28 d storage period. The results demonstrated that the combined treatment exhibited the most significant antimicrobial effect against both strains compared to individual treatments, achieving reductions of 4.30 and 4.80 log cfu/g after 28 d of storage for aEPEC and STEC, respectively. Notably, the synergistic effect of the combination treatment resulted in the complete inactivation of intact cells for STEC and nearly completed inactivation for aEPEC by the end of the storage period. These findings suggest that the combination of HHP with selected hurdles could effectively enhance microbial inactivation capacity, offering promising alternatives for improving cheese safety without affecting the starter microbiota.

Organophosphate Esters in Raw Cow Milk and Cow's Drinking Water and Feed from China: Occurrence, Regional Distribution, and Dietary Exposure Assessment.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have been widely produced and used, while little is known about their occurrence in the food chain and potential sources. In this study, raw cow milk, cow drinking water, and feed were collected from pastures across China, and OPEs were tested to explore the occurrence and transmission of OPEs in the food chain and to further assess daily OPE intakes for cows and humans via certain food consumption. The median level of ∑OPEs (sum of 15 OPEs) in raw milk was 2140 pg/mL, and tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) was the most abundant OPE. Levels of OPEs in water were lower than those in raw milk except for triethyl phosphate (TEP), while levels of most OPEs in feed were significantly higher than those in raw milk (adjusted by dry weight). The estimated dietary intake of OPEs via feed for cows was 2530 ng/kg bw/day, which was much higher than that via water (742 ng/kg bw/day), indicating that feed was a more critical exposure source. For liquid milk consumers, the high-exposure (95th) estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of ∑15OPE were 20 and 7.11 ng/kg bw/day for 3-17 years and adults, respectively, and it is obvious that cows had much heavier OPE intake. Finally, the calculated hazard indexes (HIs) suggested that the intake of OPEs via cow milk consumption would not pose significant health risks to the Chinese population.