Identifying staphylococcus aureus in goat milk delivered to markets in Cuenca – Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction: Due to its high nutritional composition, goat milk is a food source; however, when obtained by manual or mechanical milking, there is an elevated possibility of contamination by microorganisms harmful to health, as in the case of Staphylococcus aureus. Objective: To determine the frequency of Staphylococcus aureus in goat milk sold in markets in Cuenca - Ecuador. Methodology: Descriptive observational and cross-sectional study. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling was conducted to obtain sixty samples of raw goat milk. Results: Of the sixty samples collected, a frequency of Staphylococcus aureus of 65.0% was determined, showing the presence of these bacteria in raw goat milk. Conclusion: The frequency of Staphylococcus aureus was found in samples obtained from raw goat milk sold by street vendors, due to poor hygiene and poor milking procedures.