Influence of Technical Training on Good Milking Practices and its Consequences on the Microbiological Quality of Raw Bovine Milk, Working with Organized Rural Producers in Ecuador (Phase 1)

This project addresses the issue of microbiological contamination in raw milk, a highly nutritious food susceptible to pathogens due to deficient hygiene practices during milking, often linked to low producer education and technical training. The main objective is to evaluate the impact of a technical training program on good hygiene practices, implemented during milking, on the microbiological quality of milk produced by 26 organized dairy farmers in Cayambe. These producers face economic penalties for high counts of mesophilic bacteria and somatic cells, which negatively affect their marketability and family livelihood. The proposed solution focuses on applying standardized hygienic routines and risk monitoring, following precedents from successful studies that demonstrated significant improvements in physicochemical and microbiological quality standards after continuous training programs. It is expected that improving microbiological quality will not only reduce penalties and enhance milk prices but also strengthen producer associativity and benefit the supply chain with higher quality dairy products.<br/><br/><b>Goal</b>: <br/>To evaluate the influence of technical training in good hygiene practices during milking on the microbiological quality of raw bovine milk and the associated economic benefits for organized rural producers in Cayambe.<br/><br/><b>Research lines</b>: <br/>Quality and safety in milk and derivatives