Quantitative evaluation of the alkaline phosphatase activity in industrial and traditional dairy products supplied in Ahvaz as an indicator of pasteurization

Alkaline phosphatase is an indigenous milk enzyme and is probably, the most important indigenous milk enzyme from a dairy technology viewpoint which is used to determine the efficacy of the pasteurization process. The aim of this study was to assess the alkaline phosphatase activity of 200 samples of industrial and traditional yoghurt, ice cream and cheese, as well as raw and pasteurized milk samples. To achieve this purpose, p-nitrophenylphosphate was used as substrate and the amount of liberated p-nitrophenol was measured spectrophotometrically. The amount of liberated p-nitrophenol in all samples of raw milk was very high (6839±4070 µg/ml) but in pasteurized milk samples, the amount was in the range of 0.75-52.96 µg/ml and 88% of the samples had less than 10 µg p-nitrophenol/ml, the maximum permissible limit of p-nitrophenol in pasteurized products. The amount of liberated p-nitrophenol was in the range of 5.68-1210 µg/ml and 2.61-18.22 µg/ml in traditional and industrial cheese samples, respectively and it was estimated at the range of 0.75-26.67 µg/ml and 0.71- 35.82 µg/ml for traditional and industrial ice cream samples, respectively. The lowest alkaline phosphatase activity was observed in both industrial and traditional yoghurt samples. Meanwhile, p-nitrophenol in 12% of industrial cheese, 44% of traditional cheese and 16% of both industrial and traditional ice cream samples was higher than 10 µg/ml which could be due to the inadequate pasteurization of the product or cross contamination with raw milk. The results of the present study showed a need for more strict attention in the pasteurization of milk and its products

STUDY OF CATTLE IXODID TICKS IN KHOOZESTAN PROVINCE, SOUTH-WEST OF IRAN

Ticks are considered to be the main vectors for transmission of various diseases to animals and human. The present faunistic study aimed to determine species belonging to Ixodidae ticks, infesting cattle of Khoozestan province, south-west of Iran. Totally 1000 ticks were collected randomly from cattle from 9 locations in five geographical regions between January to September 2011, and were identified to the species level using valid identification keys. Eight tick species in fourdifferent genera were identified as Hyalomma anatolicum (39%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (25.4%), Hyalomma excavatum (14.3%), Hyalomma asiaticum (6.8%), Haemaphysalis sulcata (3.7%), Hyalomma scupense (3.4%), Hyalomma spp. (3.4%), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) anuulatus (2%) and Hyalomma dromedarii (2%). As some of the collected ticks are potential vectors for transmission of pathogens to animals and humans; more studies with focus onveterinary and public health importance of these species are recommended