1Department of Food Processing, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie, Tulkarm, Palestine
*Corresponding Author: Zaki Ali Tubesha, Department of Food Processing, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie, Tulkarm, Palestine, Email: zaki.tubesha@ptuk.edu.ps
Online Published on 10 March, 2026.
Milk is an essential item in daily life. It is not only a source of good quality protein, but also of calcium and riboflavin besides other nutrients. This study aims to evaluate the quality of raw milk sold in Hebron district, Palestine. Milk may be infected with pathogenic microorganisms, or adulterated with various adulterants which forms a risk to consumers.
Milk components, freezing point, density and added water were determined using an ultrasonic milk analyzer. The microbial quality of milk was evaluated by assessing it for total bacterial count (TBC) and total coliform count (TCC). Adulterants (carbonate, formalin, starch and salt) were also tested.
The mean TBC and TCC were log 6.65 and 4.04 cfu/ml respectively, indicating the deterioration of milk quality along the dairy value chain. The overall mean for fat, solid-not-fat (SNF), protein and lactose per cent were 3.57±0.8, 8.51±0.9, 3.14±0.5 and 4.56±0.5, respectively. Moreover, none of the samples were contaminated with any adulterants. Hence, when compared to the standard level, the chemical composition results were deemed adequate, while the microbial results are higher than anticipated and disappointing. Therefore, enhancing the attitude and educational attainment of milk handlers is a crucial milestone to enhance milk quality and prevent dairy-related illnesses.
Adulterants, Coliform, Milk analyzer, Raw milk, Total bacterial count
