Differentiate between Standard Plate Count and Coliform count in raw milk.

• A. SPC measures total viable bacteria; Coliforms indicate hygiene/fecal contamination and poor sanitation
• B. SPC measures pathogen-specific counts; Coliform counts measure viruses
• C. SPC measures fat; Coliform measures sugar
• D. SPC measures antibiotic residues; Coliform measures pH

Answer: (A)

In raw milk quality testing, you’re looking at two different things: the overall number of viable bacteria, and an indicator of sanitary quality. Standard Plate Count is a broad measure of the total viable bacterial population in a sample. It uses a nonselective medium to grow colonies from all bacteria that can form colonies under the test conditions, and the result is expressed as colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL). This tells you the general microbial load and is a good gauge of spoilage risk and handling hygiene.

Coliform count, on the other hand, targets a specific group of lactose‑fermenting, Gram‑negative bacteria that serve as indicators of hygiene and potential fecal contamination. These organisms are isolated on selective/differential media, and their presence and quantity reflect the sanitary quality of the milk rather than the total bacterial load. A low coliform count indicates better sanitation, while a high count signals possible contamination and warrants investigation.

The other options miss these distinctions: pathogen-specific counts are not what SPC measures, coliforms do not measure viruses, and fat, sugar, antibiotic residues, or pH are not what Standard Plate Count or coliform testing assess.