Supplementary Table_Evaluating the temperature-dependent effects of three preservative treatments on microbial growth in raw goat colostrum

The objective was to evaluate temperature-dependent effects of potassium sorbate (PS; 0.5% w/v), sodium benzoate (SB; 0.5% w/v), and sodium L-lactate (SL; 0.3% w/v) on bacterial growth and pH in goat colostrum. Samples were stored at 4°C (0–168 h) or 25°C (0–48 h). Coliforms, total bacterial count (TBC), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were enumerated using Compact Dry plates. At 4°C, counts were stable early, but by 168 h coliforms in the control group (CTR) reached 6.97 log10 CFU/mL and SL tracked the CTR. PS and SB maintained coliforms near baseline (~4.0 log10 CFU/mL; ≈3.0 log10 lower than CTR) and reduced TBC by >1.3 log10 CFU/mL at 168 h. E. coli remained low. At 25°C, the CTR and SL showed rapid proliferation (coliforms 6.72 log10 at 12 h; E. coli 4.43 log10 and TBC 9.14 log10 at 24 h). PS and SB markedly suppressed growth, reducing coliforms by 2.39–2.91 log10 at 12 h and limiting E. coli to near/below detection. Mean pH was inversely associated with coliform counts. Overall, PS and SB consistently suppressed bacterial growth, whereas SL showed minimal or inconsistent effects.