Quality and safety assessment of cow’ milk in different regions of Mathura city

• Published in: Nutrition and food science 2017-05, Vol.47 (3), p.443-455
• Main Authors: Ojha, Sadhana, Pathak, Vikas, Goswami, Meena, Bharti, Sanjay Kumar, Singh, Veer Pal, Singh, Tanuja
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidity; Avoidance; Cattle; Chemical properties; Color; Consistency; Cow's milk; Dairy industry; Density; Food; Food quality; Food safety; Food security; Formaldehyde; Health; Health problems; Light effects; Markets; Microbiological studies; Microorganisms; Milk; Milk products; Moisture content; Odor; Physicochemical properties; Quality assessment; Rancidity; Security; Skimming; Specific gravity; Surface layers; Temperature effects; Texture
• ISSN: 0034-6659; 1758-6917
• DOI: 10.1108/NFS-05-2016-0067

Purpose The purpose of present study was to evaluate the quality characteristics of cow?s milk in the holy city Mathura, which is famous for it?s gau dhan and Lord Krishna. Methodology The milk samples were collected from dairy shops, vendors and milk producers and evaluated on the basis of various organoleptic tests, physico-chemical properties, proximate estimation and microbiological studies following the standard procedures. Findings The milk samples of Township and Chungi areas had more clear appearance and normal texture/consistency than other three areas. No cow milk sample was observed with pure white colour; however, 74 per cent of the samples had normal light yellow colour. No milk sample had rancid/oxidized odour; however, few milk samples contained weedy or absorbed odour. Watery consistency was observed in 50 per cent of the samples, whereas thick, ropy or slimy consistency was observed in 4, 4 and 20 per cent of the samples, respectively. The temperature, pH and specific gravity of milk collected from different regions were lower, but titratable acidity was higher than normal prescribed range (