Preservation Effectiveness of Hydrogen Peroxide and Honey on Raw and Pasteurized Milk

Abstract

A study on the preservation effectiveness of hydrogen per oxide and honey on raw and pasteurized milk for 30 hours was carried out. Fresh milk samples collected from Makurdi were divided in to 2 portions. One portion was subjected to pasteurization there after sub-divided in to three. One was treated with 0.03% honey, the second with 0.03% H₂0₂ and the third was kept as pasteurized milk (the control). The second portion of the fresh milk was kept raw but treated with same quantity of the preservatives as in the first. Some chemical parameters namely; protein, fat, carbohydrate moisture and ash were analyzed at the 1^st hour of collection and after 30hours post treatment. For all the parameters the values at 30hours post treatment decreased significantly across treatments, only the moisture of samples treated with H₂O₂ at 30hours was observed to have increased. The pH was determined by the use of a pH meter while the microbial load was determined using 1ml of milk samples serially diluted (10¹ to 10⁵) in sterile water and 200µl of samples were plated unto nutrient agar plates and incubated at 37°C for 24hrs. Some physical parameters such as texture and flavor were measured using visual appraisal for all samples just before the preservation and then at 6 hour interval for 30hours. From the result of the physical  and chemical test,  it was observed that keeping quality of milk sample especially pasteurized milk treated with hydrogen peroxide increased significantly compared to milk treated with honey and that of the control for all samples. The result of the physical and chemical parameters explains deterioration before the end of the experiment in both samples. It was concluded that 0.03% hydrogen peroxide is enough to preserve milk for 12 hours.