Efecto de la aplicación del Sistema de Gestión de Calidad en la Cadena Productiva de Leche. El Caso de Tuntataco, Chimborazo

Milk production is an important source of income for rural people in the province of Chimborazo. However, its possibilities of growth and expansion are limited due to poor quality management during the production and commercialization processes. This paper analyzes the effects of the application of a System of Quality Management on organoleptic, physicochemical and microbiological of the milk stores in a community-based storage center in the province of Chimborazo. The results indicate that the application of the System of Quality Management had possitive effects on microbiological parameters (total coliform and mesophilic aerobic micro-organisms) of milk. Nevertheles, it had no effect on organoleptic and physicochemical characeristics. These findings are important since they can be replicated in other community-based storage centers.