Abstract:
his study evaluated containers smoking effect on the physicochemical and microbiological
quality of camel and cow milk along the milk supply chains in the selected areas of Eastern
Ethiopia. A total of 90 milk samples (54 were collected from producers in Babile district using
simple random sampling technique, including 9 camel and 9 cow milk samples from each
chlorine-disinfected, smoked, and non-smoked plastic milk handling containers, while 36
samples (6 camel and 6 cow milk samples) each from wholesalers in Babile and retailers in
Harar and Dire Dawa were collected using snowball sampling technique. Physicochemical
parameters and microbial count were analyzed using standard methods. It shows that camel
milk in chlorine-disinfected containers had lower TA by 0.016% and 0.017% than samples in
smoked and non-smoked containers. Also cow milk in chlorine-disinfected containers had less
TA by 0.023% and 0.025% than samples from smoked and non-smoked containers,
respectively. No significant differences (p > 0.05) in fat, protein, TS, ash, SNF and lactose
contents among producers milk samples from chlorine disinfected, smoked and non-smoked
plastic milk handling containers in both camel and cow milk samples).Camel milk from
producers had significantly higher TS (12.2.6±0.15%) and SNF (8.68±0.37%) than the TS of
11.48±0.19% and 7.71±0.18% SNF in Dire Dawa retailer’s milk sample. Similarly, cow milk
sample from producers had higher TS (13.69±0.2%), fat (4.7±0.14%), and SNF (9.0±0.19%)
along the supply chains, while the highest titratable acidity (0.23±0.007%) in Diredawa
retailers. The results of TBC, TCC, and LAB from producers were significantly lower
(p<0.05) in camel and cow milk samples from chlorine disinfected plastic milk handling
containers compared to milk samples from smoked and non-smoked plastic milk handling
containers. Camel milk in smoked containers had 0.56 log unit lower TBC and 0.8 log unit
lower TCC compared to samples in non-smoked containers. While cow milk had a 0.82 log
unit reduction in TBC and 0.9 log unit reduction in TCC. Along the supply chain, TBC and
TCC increased significantly (p<0.05), with the overall mean TBC of 5.42±0.56 log cfu/ml and
TCC of 4.63±0.53 log cfu/ml in camel milk., while cow milk had higher overall values of
6.87±0.56 log cfu/ml (TBC) and 6.81±0.53 log cfu/ml (TCC).Additionally, the highest LAB
count of 5.43±0.27 log cfu/ml was recorded in cow milk from Dire Dawa retailers. This
finding suggests that smoking milk handling containers can improve the microbial quality of
raw milk. However, effective sanitation practices are necessary and further studies are needed
to assess the impact of containers smoking on pathogenic microorganisms
