Food Safety Issues in Dairy Production in Senegal: Challenges and Pragmatic Solutions for the Dairy Value Chain

Milk plays a vital role in feeding Senegal's rural and urban populations and are advised as part of a balanced diet. Therefore, achieving self-sufficiency in animal products, particularly in the dairy value chain, has been the top priority of the Senegalese government.

This review looks into challenges associated with milk production, including climate change, poor milk quality, and sanitation hazards, and recommends preemptive solutions to the existing milk production system. Since milk is traditionally consumed raw or fermented, microbial food safety plays an essential role. Pathogens such as Mycobacterium bovis, Brucella abortus, and Coxiella burnettii are of great public health concern. Due to traditional beliefs, there is a lack of awareness about milk-borne hazards. Most men consider milk could not transmit any illness; as a result, farmers practice risky milk handling. Data are scarce on the potential food safety issues and the existence of commonly detected pathogens, such as Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp., and Listeria monocytogenes.

In conclusion, it is imperative to have a baseline understanding of microbial risks and how their presence in food can be avoided or kept within acceptable limits. One must account for the prevalence and distribution of pathogens in Senegal’s dairy production system.