• Producers must be educated about risks of adulteration and aflatoxin contamination
Image: ENOS TECHE
Milk can quickly become unsafe due to adulteration and improper handling, leading to rapid bacterial growth and spoilage.
Ensuring milk safety for human consumption is paramount, and meeting established standards is critical.
Milk can quickly become unsafe due to adulteration and improper handling, leading to rapid bacterial growth and spoilage.
Key safety features include maintaining permissible bacteria levels and ensuring the absence of harmful substances, such as diseases or medications that could be transmitted from animals to humans.
Consumers often struggle to distinguish between safe and unsafe milk, primarily focusing on freshness.
The prevalent belief that packaged milk is inherently safe while unprocessed milk is not, is misleading. Aflatoxin contamination, for instance, originates from feed and is not easily detectable.
Producers must be educated about the dangers of adulteration and aflatoxin contamination.
Developing and enforcing standards is crucial, particularly as the informal milk sector dominates the market.
Proper handling practices are essential for safety, and large producers use equipment to detect contaminants.
However, small-scale farmers need guidance on managing medications and antibiotics, which can render milk unsafe. Enhanced record-keeping on farms can facilitate verification and safety improvements.
Safety protocols do not necessarily mandate selling milk to processors. Farmers with proper systems can safely chill their milk post-milking, reducing bacterial growth.
Quality control is challenging in the informal market due to high enforcement costs.
The informal dairy sector is associated with the risks of low-quality milk.
These include lack of awareness regarding milk safety from both consumers and the different supply chain participants, poor operating conditions in the informal market, and lack of accountability and infrastructure in the entire supply chain.
Farmers should be encouraged to use appropriate milk containers and infrastructure to extend milk’s shelf life.
Managing milk surplus during high production periods, such as the rainy season, is crucial to prevent contamination risks. Investing in hygiene and handling practices can significantly improve milk shelf life and safety.
Safety campaigns targeting both producers and consumers are essential, as is support from county governments to strengthen dairy cooperatives and provide extensions to farmers.
Continuous awareness campaigns, disease monitoring and coordinated efforts between national and county governments are vital.
Moreover, incentivising farmers through quality-based pricing can motivate them to prioritise milk safety, shifting the focus from volume to quality in the market. This approach would enhance productivity and ensure a safer milk supply.