Molecular and Bacteriological Examination of Milk from Different Milch Animals with Special Reference to Coliforms

In the present study, 20 samples of raw milk of cow, buffalo and goat and pasteurized milk were collected from the local market and were analyzed for microbial count and IMViC tests to determine the coliform load in the sample. Further, the presence of E. coli was confirmed by using PCR. Majority of the milk samples of different origin were found to be contaminated by the coliform group of bacteria. Nine samples were found to be positive for E. coli by PCR analysis. Pasteurized milk samples did not showed presence of E. coli by PCR, but they showed considerable count of bacterial growth by total plate count method. The results indicated that analyzed milk could contribute a potential risk for public health in the cases that it was consumed or used in the production of dairy products without being pasteurized or being subjected to a sufficient heat process. Moreover, PCR is less labor intensive and more rapid for bacterial identification.