Effect of seasonality on the microbiological and physicochemical quality of goat's milk produced at the center of Veracruz, Mexico

The effect of seasonality on the microbiological and physicochemical quality of goat milk produced at the center of the Veracruz state, Mexico, was evaluated. Milk from diffe-rent goat production units (Coatepec, Perote and Tatatila) during the rainy, dry and windy seasons were evaluated. The contents of aerobic mesophiles, total coliform Eschericha coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella ssp. and Brucella sp. as well as protein, fat, lactose, non-fat solids, density and acidity. The microbiological results determined the absence of Eschericha coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp. and Brucella sp. in the analyzed milks. The effect of the interaction season of the year per production unit per type of milk showed that 50 % of the milk (raw and pasteurized) produced in the windy and rainy seasons presented the highest contents of aerobic me-sophiles and total coliforms. The effect of the interaction unit of production by type of milk showed the highest content of non-fat solids, proteins, lactose and density due to the use of different forages such as mulberry, orange peel, Taiwan grass, alfalfa and corn stover. The highest fat contents were found in the production units of Coatepec and Tatatila.