QUALITE BACTERIOLOGIQUE DU LAIT CRU VENDU DANS LA REGION DE SOUK AHRAS (ALGERIE).

Sixty raw milk samples collected from six selling points and one collection center, in Souk-Ahras region, were bacteriologically examined in order to get bacteriological quality as defined by ministerial decree of 24-01-1998 of Algerian Republic. The search is on SPC, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus and clostridium. Results showed that 100% of samples have unsatisfactory quality. 76.67 % of samples show a contamination level above the criteria for two different parameters and 10% for three different parameters. The overrun is due primarily to fecal streptococcus and second to Staphylococcus aureus (100% and 81.67%), with an average count of 9.7×102 and 31 mo ml-1, respectively. These results indicate food poisoning risk associated with raw milk consumption, stressing the need to apply strict controls throughout the dairy industry, to respect of the cold chain and to establish the thermal treatment.