The electrolyzed water is a type of water with biocidal properties, fungicidal and sporicidal. Its effectiveness is caused by its activation which gives it a high oxidation capacity. Therefore, electrolyzed water becomes a very effective breaker of cell membrane of microorganisms. Although during its activation, hypochlorous acid is released, it is instantly stabilised, which guarantees the safety in handling and respect for the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of electrolyzed water as drinking water on the presence of bacteria in the water consumed by cows and the microbiological quality of milk produced. Water samples collected from drinking electrolyzed water showed negative results for contamination by aerobic, total coliforms, E. coli and faecal streptococci. Data showed a significant decrease of somatic cell count, total bacteriology and coagulase positive count in milk from cows that had drunk electrolyzed water.

Due to security considerations in their management and environmental impact is expected in the coming years the use of chlorine as a disinfectant decreases in favor of more profitable alternatives. Among these alternatives, the electrolyzed water solutions now represent the greatest advance in regard to disinfection, appearing as an efficient, ecologically and economically. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of electrolyzed water as a substitute for traditional disinfectant circuit milking and tank milk in a dairy farm. For this purpose water samples were collected in sterile containers at the end of the washing process with two products which were sent to a laboratory accredited by ENAC (147/LE377) for microbiological analysis. No significant differences were observed in samples treated with chlorine and electrolyzed water in the case of the circuit milking disinfection. However, in the milk tanks disinfection electrolyzed water is better than chlorine because it eliminates aerobic microorganisms. Moreover, from an environmental point of view, the use of electrolyzed water is an advantage over chlorine due to its non polluting capacity.

Water samples were taken from 17 farms in the Province of Nuble which represent the 70% of this zone production. In the samples it was determined: total bacterial count, total coliform and fecal count, besides it was made a survey in each dairy, in order to know the milking routine. The goals were to relate the bacteriological quality of raw milk with the bacteriological quality of the water used in cleaning the milking equipment, and the milking routine used in farm. The conclusion was that the water resources of most of the dairies did not meet the established requirements to be used in the cleaning of the milking equipment. From the milking routine, a highly significative relation was found in controlling the foremilk, non-assumed factor by itself to obtain low coliform count, but to the coincidence of this action with others carried out in the milking process.