Dataset Information

Effect of Seasonality on Microbiological Variability of Raw Cow Milk from Apulian Dairy Farms in Italy.

ABSTRACT: Raw cow milk is one of the most complex and unpredictable food matrices shaped by the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors. Changes in dairy farming conditions impact the quality and safety of milk, which largely depend on seasonality. Changes in microbiome composition and relative metabolic pathways are derived from microbial interactions, as well as from seasonality, mammary, and extramammary conditions (e.g., farm management and outdoor environment). Breeding data from >600 Apulian farms were examined, and the associated physicochemical parameters were processed by a reductionist approach to obtain a raw cow milk sample subset. We investigated the microbiological variability in cultivable and 16S rRNA sequencing microbiota as affected by seasonal fluctuations at two time points (winter and summer seasons). We identified families (Xanthomonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae) whose increased abundance during winter may cause a shift toward a pathobiont microbial niche that leads to lower milk quality. Apulian summer season conditions were advantageous to the presence of specific taxa, i.e., Streptococcaceae (i.e., Lactococcus) and Limosilactobacillus fermentum, which in turn may favor better milk preservation. IMPORTANCE The strength of this study lies in the microbiological characterization of a wide range of farm management data to achieve a more comprehensive framework of Apulian milk. Specific regional pedoclimatic and management conditions impact the taxa present and their abundances within this ecological food niche. The obtained results lay the groundwork for comparison with other worldwide extensive farming areas.

SUBMITTER: Celano G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9602280 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Effect of Seasonality on Microbiological Variability of Raw Cow Milk from Apulian Dairy Farms in Italy.

Celano Giuseppe G Calasso Maria M Costantino Giuseppe G Vacca Mirco M Ressa Arianna A Nikoloudaki Olga O De Palo Pasquale P Calabrese Francesco Maria FM Gobbetti Marco M De Angelis Maria M

Microbiology spectrum 20220816 5

Raw cow milk is one of the most complex and unpredictable food matrices shaped by the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors. Changes in dairy farming conditions impact the quality and safety of milk, which largely depend on seasonality. Changes in microbiome composition and relative metabolic pathways are derived from microbial interactions, as well as from seasonality, mammary, and extramammary conditions (e.g., farm management and outdoor environment). Breeding data from >600 Apulian ...[more]

PMID: 35972127

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Project description:BackgroundSalmonella is one of the foodborne pathogens affecting public health around the globe. A cross-sectional bacteriological study was conducted from December 2019 to November 2020. This study aimed to isolate, molecularly detect and determine antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Salmonella from raw cows' milk collected from dairy farms and households in Hawassa, Arsi Negele, and Dale districts.Materials and methodsA total of 384 raw milk samples were collected using a simple random sampling technique. Standard bacteriological and biochemical tests were used to isolate Salmonella. The positive samples were further confirmed by the molecular test. Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Salmonella.ResultsUsing bacteriological and biochemical detection tests, Salmonella was isolated from 10.42% (N = 40) of the total sample. However, in molecular detection, only 32 of the 40 isolates were confirmed to be Salmonella using PCR test. The prevalence was 8.54, 12.69, and 10.46% in Hawassa, Dale, and Arsi Negele districts, respectively. Bacteriological prevalence did not vary significantly between the districts (P > 0.05). Likewise, no significant (P > 0.05) variation was observed in the Salmonella isolation rate between households (12.5%) and farms (8.33%) as well as between dry (8.85%) and wet (11.98%) seasons. Based on herd size, the isolation rate of Salmonella was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in large-scale farms (19.51%) than in small (5.1%) or medium (5.6%) scale dairy farms. The result of the antibiotic susceptibility test showed that Salmonella isolates were 100% resistant to ampicillin, while they were 100% sensitive to ciprofloxacin. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was demonstrated in all isolates.ConclusionThis study showed that Salmonella is widespread in the raw milk samples and developing MDR, which may be of public health concern in the study area. It is therefore important that dairy farmers and raw milk sellers in the study area take serious measures to avoid contamination of the milk with Salmonella spp. In addition, the active commitment of the animal health departments in the respective districts to sensitizing dairy farmers and the sensible use of antibiotics at the farm level can help to reduce the antibiotic resistance of Salmonella spp.

Project description:The safety of milk production in terms of foodborne infections is a worldwide issue, particularly in developing countries where production is often unhygienic. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2018 to August 2019 in the Meta District of Eastern Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. We aim to assess milk hygiene practices among smallholder dairy farmers, estimate the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in raw cow milk and swabs, assess associated risk factors, and the antimicrobial susceptibility test of S. aureus isolates. Face-to-face interviews with 30 respondents randomly selected from smallholder dairy farmers were used to assess the potential risk factors for S. aureus contaminations in milk. A total of 177 samples were examined using standard microbiological testing. The disc diffusion technique was also employed to assess the antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates. The data was analyzed using STATA® version 14.0 statistical software. According to the milk hygiene assessment, 80% of respondents did not wash cow udder before milking, did not use detergent to clean milk containers, and did not keep milk refrigerated before consumption or sale, while 63.3% of milk consumers ingested raw milk. They had never heard of staphylococci foodborne disease. Likewise, the overall prevalence of S. aureus was 12.42% (95%CI: 8.32-18.98). The prevalence of S. aureus in udder milk, equipment swabs, and milkers' hands was 18.8%, 26.7%, and 30%, respectively. The prevalence of S. aureus in milk is significantly associated with age, and mastitis history (p < 0.05). Moreover, old and mastitis positive animals were eight (OR: 8.40; 95%CI: 1.68-41.89) and four (OR: 4.33; 95%CI: 1.37-13.66) times more likely to be infected by S. aureus than adult, and mastitis negative animal. The isolates were resistant to penicillin G (97.4%) and tetracycline (69.2%) whereas susceptible to kanamycin, streptomycin, vancomycin, and cefotaxime, at 84.6%, 71.8%, 64%, and 58.8%, respectively. This study revealed the presence of antimicrobial-resistant patterns of S. aureus on commonly used antibiotics, as well as inadequate milk handling practices in the study area. Thus, awareness should be created on proper milk handling and hygiene as well as appropriate uses of antibiotics should be encouraged.

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Dataset Information

Effect of Seasonality on Microbiological Variability of Raw Cow Milk from Apulian Dairy Farms in Italy.

Publications

Effect of Seasonality on Microbiological Variability of Raw Cow Milk from Apulian Dairy Farms in Italy.

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