Bacterial and mold contamination of milk and dairy products distributed by traditional or commercial producers in Isfahan, Iran, in 2014

Abstract

Background: Milk is an important component of the food pyramid and can provide a lot of human daily nutritional needs. Dairy products can be contaminated to various bacteria and fungi. This study aimed to investigate the contamination of traditional and industrial milk and dairy products in Isfahan, Iran, and also identification of molds by using phenotypic methods. Methods: 155 samples were randomly collected in Isfahan. Specimens were identified by phenotypic tests and data was analyzed using the SPSS software. Findings: There was no relationship between traditional and commercial contamination of dairy products with coliform and Escherichia coli (P = 0.79). Penicillium spp. and Candida orthopsilosis had the most (33.5) and the least (1.2) prevalence among isolates, respectively. Majority of molds were isolated from cheese and yogurt. The average contamination of mold in traditional products is significantly higher than commercial products (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Sanitation and apply appropriate standards for dairy products in order to prevent secondary contamination and health standards in traditional units need to be ensuring the safety of dairy products. © 2016, Journal of Isfahan Medical School. All rights reserved.