Biological Characteristics of Raw and Pasteurized Milk With an Assessment of Metal Contamination Level

Abstract

Milk and its derivatives are important for human health. Milk is consumed by the people of all age group due to its healthy impacts. The aim of the present study is to study the potential microorganisms present in milk samples and to identify the presence of heavy metals to study their health impacts. For this purpose, the sample of 20 milks has been selected. Among 20, 15 were the raw milk samples collected from the Islamabad farms, and 5 were the pasteurized milk brands including Nurpur, Olpers, Milk Fields, Tarang and Milk Pack. The raw milk samples were being collected on daily basis, as per the requirement for raw milk, in sterilized 100 ml plastic bottles to meet the standard protocols and in order to prevent entry of dust and bacteria into the samples which were then carried to the laboratory with proper care and stored in fridge at 4°C to preserve them and the microbial analysis of raw milk was carried out within 24 hours of collection after which the raw milk was used to be of no use. For pasteurized milk, samples were acquired from a few well-known enterprises that sell their products all over Pakistan. They were easily available in Islamabad, and their microbiological examination was performed in the lab. The experimental design includes analyzing physical parameters, biological, chemical parameters and heavy metal analysis. The results showed the presence of micro-organisms and traces of heavy metals such as Copper, Mercury, Iron, Zinc and Uranium. Therefore, it is recommended to sterilize the milk before using.