Review on Hygienic Milk Products Practice and Occurrence of Mastitis in Cow’s Milk

Abstract

Milk is composed of approximately 87.2 % water, 3.7 % fats, 3.5% protein, 4.9% lactose 0.7% ash and has a pH 6.8; and is universally recognized as a complete diet due to its essential nutritional components.  The key factor for quality dairy products is to avoid contamination of the raw milk and milk products. Failure to maintain adequate sanitation practices has been contribute to contamination of milk with undesirable or pathogenic micro-organisms or chemical or physical hazards derived from different sources. The common predisposing factors of milk contamination by microorganisms are milking environment, cows, milking personnel, milking equipment, milk transportation and water. Generally, the milk hygiene practice has interests in preventing the transmission milk-born zoonotic diseases, preventing the transmission of communicable diseases of man through milk, preventing diseases or physical defects that may arise from malnutrition and improving the nutritional status of man in general and of infants, children, and mother in particular. Therefore, it is crucial to keep hygienic milk production practices at household level and farm so that safeguards public health.

Keywords:  Cow’s Milk, Hygiene, Mastitis