ABSTRACT

Title of the Thesis

Exposure assessment studies of Staphylococcus

aureus for Milk and Kalaadi (an indigenous
milk product)

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Major Subject
Name and Designation of
Major Advisor

Degree to be awarded

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Name of the University

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Saddam Malik
J-13-MV-364
Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology
Dr. Maninder Singh
Assistant Professor, Division of Veterinary Public
Health & Epidemiology, F.V.Sc & A.H, R.S Pura,
Jammu.
M.V.Sc (Veterinary Public Health and
Epidemiology)
2016
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences
& Technology of Jammu (J&K)

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The present study was undertaken to conduct the exposure assessment of

Staphylococcus aureus for raw milk (bulk tank chillers) and Kalaadi (an indigenous milk
product). A total of 300 samples comprised of 150 samples of each food category were
collected from different locations of Jammu zone. 52(17.33%) samples yielded S. aureus
with 12 (8%) from Kalaadi and 40(26.6%) from raw milk samples. In spread plate count
method, 5 samples (1 Kalaadi and 4 raw milk) exhibited counts higher than the
microbiological standards for S. aureus in food set by ICMSF, i.e. 105 cfu/g. Out of 52 S.
aureus isolates, 16 (30.76%) were MRSA including 3 from Kalaadi and 13 from raw
milk. S. aureus isolates showed high sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (53.8%), ceftriaxone
(51.9%), gentamicin (46.1%) and ceftriaxone+tazobactum (42.3%) while high resistance
was shown towards ampicillin (42.3%) and enrofloxacin (36.5%). Although with the
present study, it could not be evaluated at what point of production chain of these
products S. aureus entered the food, yet it indicates the necessity to minimize risk to
consumers. Apart from this, the experimental trial was conducted to assess the
survivability and growth prospects of S. aureus during Kalaadi preparation using milk
spiked with S. aureus@105 cfu/ml. There was a continuous decline in moisture % from
day 0 to 7, while pH was above 5.00 throughout the study period. S. aureus count
increased from 1.7x104 cfu/g on day 0 to 2.6 x105 cfu/g on day 7.
Key words: Exposure assessment, Kalaadi, MRSA, milk, prevalence, Staphylococcus
aureus
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