Abd Al-Naser Al-Omar^*(1) Fatten Hammed⁽²⁾ and Mohamed Zuheir Salam⁽³⁾

(1). Hama Agricultural Research Center, General Commission For Scientific Agricultural Research (GSCAR), Damascus, Syria.

(2). Food Technology Department, GSCAR, Damascus, Syria.

(3). Animal wealth Administration, GSCAR, Damascus, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Omar. E-Mail: abdnaser64@gmail.com).

Received: 23/08/2016                                 Accepted: 20/12/2016

Abstract

This study was carried out at Deir- El Hager Research Station, Damascus countryside, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Syria, during 2012 to estimate the microbial content in the milk of Shami Camels, and determine its quality and possible risks resulting from drinking milk as it is. Twenty-eight milk samples were collected from seven camels that seem to be apparently healthy. Laboratories tests were conducted in order to determine the PH of milk at fridge temperature (5 ± 2 °C), and room temperature (20 ±2 °C) for consecutive four days. The average of body cells number by microscopic method were estimated. It was found that there are limited changes in PH degree during storage period whether it is in fridge or in a room conditions. The minimum value of PH in fridge was 5.2 and the maximum value was 6.4. While minimum value of PH was 5.2 in room condition, and the maximum value was 6.2. T-test for double samples, showed that T value was 1.337, which means that there were no significant differences. The average of body cells in the samples that gave negative results using California Test accounted (2.2× 10⁴ – 2.2× 10⁵) cells/ml milk, and (8.6× 10⁴ – 2.4× 10⁵) cells/ml for positive samples. Besides all samples on Mac Conkey media gave a negative result, and no growth plantation of any bacteria was appeared. Whereas the relation between Staphylococcus growth phenomenon blood agar media plantation and the method of conservation at different temperature degrees found that the numerous number of infection with Staphylococcus was in the samples conserved in room temperature, where Square Chi value accounted 42.357 at less than 0.01 level of probability. The results assured not to drink camel milk without pasteurization, because of Staphylococcus germs that existent in the milk cause different human diseases.

Key words: Microbial content, Shami camel milk, Quality traits.

Full paper in Arabic: PDF