2. Materials and methods
2.1. Sampling
Raw milk samples were collected each month from farm vats in five
of themainmilk collection regions ofNewZealand (Northland,Waikato,
Taranaki/Manawatu, Canterbury and Southland). The aim was to test
300 samples overall and approximately equal numbers from each region.
Sampling began in April 2007 (end of the 2006/07 dairying season)
and ceased in May 2008 (end of the 2007/08 dairying season). Each
month, individual samples (250–400 ml) were collected aseptically
International Journal of Food Microbiology 157 (2012) 305–308
⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +64 6 350 4649; fax: +64 6 356 1476.
E-mail address: bruce.hill@fonterra.com (B. Hill).
0168-1605/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2012.03.031