ISO 14000 has opened the field for enhancing the awareness towards healthy environment and gives the
ideology of regular assessment of threshold values not only of nutrients but contaminants as well. Under this statement
microbiological studies in terms of mycoflora followed by physical characteristics and level of some essential elements Mg, Fe,
Cu and Zn, and deleterious metal Cd were analyzed in fresh milk samples (FMS) and tetra pack milk or UHT processed milk
samples (PMS) available in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town, Karachi for the residents. Samples were collected in the morning time during
winter season. Physical parameters like pH, conductivity, density, viscosity, surface tension and refractive index were observed
very soon after sample collection. Percentage of ash and total dissolved solids (TDS) were also measured. For fungal flora
studies PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar) and Sabourouds Agar were used for the fungal growth. The concentrations of metals
considered were estimated after wet digestion of samples using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The ranges of average
concentration of Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn were found to be 77.120 – 141.915mg/l, 0.580 – 7.320mg/l, 0.004 – 0.070mg/l and 2.574 –
4.872mg/l. The level of Cd was estimated in the samples between 0.0050 – 0.053mg/l, but was not observed in most of the
samples. Among the fungi, the highest diversity was that of
Aspergillus
spp. that produces aflatoxins. ©JASEM
