Monitoring carbamate and organophosphate pesticides in pasteurized milk

Milk is an essential and widely consumed food. In 2022, Brazil produced approximately 25 billion liters of milk for human consumption, and contamination by agrochemicals can have significant impacts on public health. This study analyzed organophosphate and carbamate pesticide residues, as well as its physicochemical and microbiological quality in pasteurized milk sold in Londrina and Arapongas, Brazil. From June to December 2017, 35 samples of pasteurized milk were obtained from the commercial market and analyzed by HPLC and physical-chemical and microbiological tests for freezing point, alkaline phosphatase, lactoperoxidase, and Enterobacteriaceae count. All the samples met the maximum residue limits for both classes of agrochemicals, indicating safe consumption and good agricultural practices. However, the potential effects of degradation byproducts on human health from milk consumption require further investigation. Regarding the physicochemical and microbiological quality, 9% of the samples showed post-pasteurization contamination and 3% indicated water addition. Thus, it is concluded that the biggest challenge for pasteurized milk production industries is to avoid post-pasteurization microbiological contamination, and better tools and auditing are necessary to prevent and detect residual water.