Total bacteria count in raw milk from Parana, São Paulo, Minas Gerais states after implementation of the Normative Instruction N°51/2002/Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Suply (MAPA).&

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the results of analyzes of total bacteria count in raw milk samples collected from refrigerated coolers tanks located in Sao Paulo, Parana and Minas Gerais from September 2006 to August 2007, verifying the compliance with the Normative Instruction N°51, September 18, 2002, in force at the time, with regard to the percentage of samples in disagreement with the standard and geometric means obtained over the months evaluated. The maximum value of TBC in refrigerated raw milk allowed by this legislation was to 1x106 CFU/mL. The Paraná state had a mean of 16% of samples outside the standard, Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo 20% and 24%. The geometric means ranged between 74.000UFC/mL to 394.000 CFU/ml. The results allowed inferring that although the percentage of raw milk samples refrigerated incompliance with the legislation was below the average reported in the literature and the geometric means of TBC were within the parameters required in current regulations at the time of analysis, the values still found at high levels.