Microbiological Quality of Chhana

The microbiological quality of chhana depend upon the standard of cleanliness during production, packaging, transportation and storage, and these factors affect the keeping quality of chhana. The microbiological spoilage of chhana is characterized by a heavy growth of moulds on its surface and a stale flavour at refrigeration temperature of 4-5oC. The product develops a sour smell and a bitter taste at 22-25oC and 37-39oC while its surface is sparsely covered with fungi. The most common moulds contaminating chhana samples are Penicillium, Aspergillus, Mucor,Rhizophus, Fusarium and Parcillomyces.

Market samples of chhana have shown wide variations in microbial counts (Table). The total viable counts are in the range of 0.0-9.0 x 106 and 0.0 – 2.2 x 105,while coliforms, yeasts and moulds are in the range of 0.0-13.9 x 106, respectively.The wide range of fluctuations observed in microbial counts is attributed to the market conditions.

It has been further examined that three kinds of fresh chhana samples viz. cow milk,buffalo milk and market samples for total plate, acid producing, proteolytic,chromogenic, aerobic spore forming bacilli and yeast and mould counts. The market samples carried higher counts in all cases as compared with cow and buffalo chhana except for yeast and mould counts. Cow milk chhana showed high counts in all tests except for lipolytic, yeast and mould counts.

Microbial quality of fresh chhana