Survey of the microbiological quality of the raw cow milk in the Tadla area of Morocco.

Cow milk samples were collected during three periods and from four milk collection centres located in four different geographical zones. Samples were analysed for their standard plate count, enterococci, total coliform and feacal coliform, lactic acid bacteria, spoilage bacteria and some of the pathogenic bacteria. The most contaminated cooperatives were those located essentially in the irrigated zones. The less contaminated ones belong to semipublic farms. It seems that transportation, milking and pre-storage conditions constitute the main basic relevant factors for heavy bacterial contamination. This is the first survey of the microbiological characteristics of raw milk produced in the Tadla area of Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]