A machine learning approach reveals that bacterial spore levels in organic bulk tank milk are dependent on farm characteristics and meteorological factors.

Bacterial spores in raw milk can lead to quality issues in milk and milk derived products. As these spores originate from farm environments, it is important to understand contributions of farm-level factors to spore levels. This study aimed to investigate the impact of farm management practices and meteorological factors on levels of different spore types in organic raw milk using machine learning models.

Diverse spore-forming bacterial populations in US organic raw milk are driven by climate region.

Spore-forming bacteria pose significant challenges to the dairy industry, as they are present at high levels in the natural environment and can cause finished product spoilage. To improve organic raw milk quality and minimize spoilage caused by spore-forming bacteria, we used a farm-to-table approach, by assessing the levels and diversity of various spore types through longitudinal studies of United States (US) organic dairy supplies, including (i) raw milk from 100 organic dairy farms, (ii) raw milk intended for organic cheese production from 5 processing plants, (iii) pasteurized milk from 5 processing plants, and (iv) dairy powders from 2 processing plants. Based on a total of 4,194 isolates characterized by either rpoB or 16S rRNA gene sequencing, Bacillus spp.