Microbial Quality of Formulated Infant Milk Powders

Abstract

Study was carried out to examine the microbiological quality of Infant formula milk powder. Total 60 of dried milk powders, 20 each of Group A (1-6), B (7-12) and C (13-18 months). Infant formula milk powders were purchased from Hyderabad, Sindh and evaluated for microbiological examination, like Total Viable Count (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae Count (EbC) and Yeasts and Moulds Count (YMC). Total viable count, (3.4x10³±5.0x10²cfu/g) were significantly higher than thermoduric count, (<10±2.3x10¹cfu/g) Thermophilic spores (1.4x10 ±2.4x10¹ cfu/g) Enterobacteriaceae count, (<5 ±1.0x10cfu/g) and Yeasts and Moulds (<5±1.0 cfu/g) respectively in all samples of infant formula of milk powders. Total Viable Counts group A, B and C having non significant difference. Even incase of thermoduric thermophilic spores, enterobacteriaceae, yeast and moulds were non significant recorded. The obtained averaged results compared to Indian Standard Institution (ISI) values. In Group A total viable counts were (12.18 folds), Group B (14.70 folds) and in Group C (15.15folds) lower than the ISI standard. thermoduric counts averaged compared with ISI standards and results were found lower in Group A (12.5 folds), Group B (16.0 folds) and Group C (14.2 folds) as compared to Indian Standards Institution, thermophilic spores in Group A (7.14 folds), Group B (6.6 folds) and Group C (6.25 folds) as compared to ISI. Enterobacteriaceae were lower than ISI standards (33 folds) in Group A, (33 folds) Group B and (25 folds) in Group C. Yeast and Moulds were lower than the ISI standards Group A (33 folds), Group B (33 folds) and in Group C (25 folds). Although Total Viable Count were within the range of standard of specification of (ISI) and the counts of thermophilic Spores, enterobacteriaceae counts and yeast and moulds also indicates the hygienic condition of Infant formula milk powders without risk level for human health.