Microflora distribution and assessment of microbiological quality milk from Tunisian collection centres

Eighty samples of raw milk, collected from eight Tunisian centres, were characterised. All these samples contained approximately 10 cfu/ml of mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), yeasts and coliforms dominated the microflora of these samples. They varied from 10 to 10 cfu/ml. More than 70% of the analysed samples contained 10 cfu/ml of Pseudomonas. The content of contaminating microflora like Staphylococcus, coliforms and mesophilic and thermophilic Bacillus ranged from 10 to 10 cfu/ml. However, mesophilic and thermophilic Clostridium were absent in all samples. This study could allow establishing the microflora distribution, revealing the non conformity of these eighty samples with standards, and pointing out eventual microbiological standards values of raw collected milk by comparison with standards.