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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NCArchivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición

Sheep milk: physical-chemical characteristics and microbiological quality

  • Ivandré Antonio Merlin1,2
  • Joice Sifuentes dos Santos1,2
  • Lígia Grecco Costa1,2
  • Renan Grecco Costa1,2
  • Agostinho Ludovico1,2
  • Fabíola Cristine de Almeida Rêgo1,2
  • Elsa Helena Walter de Santana1,2
  1. 1University North of Paraná (UNOPAR), Londrina, PR, Brazil
  2. 2University North of Parana (UNOPAR)., Londrina, Brazil
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Abstract

Sheep milk is the third most consumed milk in Brazil. It is much appreciated for its nutritional status and is important for children that have problems with cow milk. Little information is known about the chemical, physical and microbiological composition of sheep milk from South Brazil. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe chemical and microbiological characteristics of sheep milk produced on two rural properties located in southern Brazil (ParanA and Rio Grande do Sul). The chemical composition of sheep milk was 17.32 g/100 g total solids, 5.86 g/100 g total protein, 4.46 g/100 g casein, 1.08 g/100 g whey protein, 7.28 g/100 g fat, 0.93 g/100 g ash, and 3.41 g/100 g lactose. High somatic cell count (1.7x106 cells/mL), total mesophilic bacterias (16.0 x 106 CFU/mL) and psychrotrophics (5.8 x 106 CFU/mL) were observed. Growth of Staphylococcus aureus, enterobacteria and coliforms occurred in 100% of the samples, and 45% of the samples showed growth of Escherichia coli. The sheep milk physical-chemical and microbiology parameters are similar to those presented in the literature for other countries but somatic cell count presented high levels.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{merlin2026sheep,
  title = {{Sheep milk: physical-chemical characteristics and microbiological quality}},
  author = {Ivandré Antonio Merlin and Joice Sifuentes dos Santos and Lígia Grecco Costa and Renan Grecco Costa and Agostinho Ludovico and Fabíola Cristine de Almeida Rêgo and Elsa Helena Walter de Santana},
  journal = {Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.37527/2015.65.3.008},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.37527/2015.65.3.008},
  note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Sheep milk: physical-chemical characteristics and microbiological quality
AU  - Ivandré Antonio Merlin
AU  - Joice Sifuentes dos Santos
AU  - Lígia Grecco Costa
AU  - Renan Grecco Costa
AU  - Agostinho Ludovico
AU  - Fabíola Cristine de Almeida Rêgo
AU  - Elsa Helena Walter de Santana
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/28
JO  - Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición
DO  - 10.37527/2015.65.3.008
UR  - https://doi.org/10.37527/2015.65.3.008
AB  - Sheep milk is the third most consumed milk in Brazil. It is much appreciated for its nutritional status and is important for children that have problems with cow milk. Little information is known about the chemical, physical and microbiological composition of sheep milk from South Brazil. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe chemical and microbiological characteristics of sheep milk produced on two rural properties located in southern Brazil (ParanA and Rio Grande do Sul). The chemical composition of sheep milk was 17.32 g/100 g total solids, 5.86 g/100 g total protein, 4.46 g/100 g casein, 1.08 g/100 g whey protein, 7.28 g/100 g fat, 0.93 g/100 g ash, and 3.41 g/100 g lactose. High somatic cell count (1.7x106 cells/mL), total mesophilic bacterias (16.0 x 106 CFU/mL) and psychrotrophics (5.8 x 106 CFU/mL) were observed. Growth of Staphylococcus aureus, enterobacteria and coliforms occurred in 100% of the samples, and 45% of the samples showed growth of Escherichia coli. The sheep milk physical-chemical and microbiology parameters are similar to those presented in the literature for other countries but somatic cell count presented high levels.
SN  - 0004-0622
SN  - 2309-5806
ER  -