FARMFOOD360° Virtual Food Tour: Milk Processing

Summary

This 360-degree virtual tour takes viewers behind the scenes at a Canadian dairy processing plant, showcasing the journey of milk from farm to packaging. It highlights the importance of food safety measures, including strict temperature controls, testing, and sanitation protocols. The process involves separating cream, pasteurizing, and homogenizing the milk, followed by rigorous quality control checks before packaging. The tour emphasizes the commitment to maintaining high standards of quality and safety, ensuring that consumers can trust the freshness and purity of Canadian milk.

Takeaways

• 😀 Milk is highly perishable and needs to be processed and delivered within 2 to 3 days from the farm to the customer.
• 😀 Dairy cows are typically milked two to three times per day, and the milk is picked up every 2 days.
• 😀 Milk trucks can carry an average of 30,000 liters of raw milk, maintaining a temperature below 6°C during transport.
• 😀 Upon arrival at the processing plant, milk is tested for quality before being unloaded into stainless steel silos.
• 😀 The processing area is strictly isolated from external environments to prevent contamination, and staff are required to follow strict hygiene protocols.
• 😀 Milk is standardized to the correct fat level (e.g., 1%, 2%) using a separator that separates cream from the milk.
• 😀 The milk is pasteurized at ultra-high temperatures (UHT) to destroy harmful microorganisms and extend its shelf life.
• 😀 Homogenization ensures that fat molecules are evenly distributed throughout the milk, preventing cream from rising to the top.
• 😀 After processing, the milk is cooled to 4°C and stored in sanitized tanks until ready for packaging.
• 😀 All milk undergoes rigorous quality control tests, including heat stress tests, to ensure safety before packaging and shipment.
• 😀 Packaged milk is refrigerated until released for transportation in refrigerated delivery trucks to maintain freshness and quality.

Q & A

Why is milk considered a highly perishable product?

Milk is considered highly perishable because it can spoil quickly due to the growth of bacteria. Therefore, it needs to be processed and delivered rapidly to ensure it remains safe for consumption.

How often are dairy cows typically milked?

Dairy cows are typically milked two or three times a day to ensure a consistent supply of milk for processing.

What happens when milk arrives at the processing plant?

When milk arrives at the processing plant, it is first tested to ensure it meets health and quality standards. The milk is only unloaded into storage silos if it passes these tests.

Why is the milk receiving area isolated from the rest of the plant?

The milk receiving area is isolated to prevent cross-contamination. This ensures that the milk remains free from external contaminants before it enters the processing system.

What tests are conducted on milk before it is unloaded into the plant?

Certified milk receivers and lab technicians perform various tests on incoming milk, including temperature checks and sample analysis, to ensure the milk meets safety and quality standards.

What are the key safety protocols followed by staff at the processing plant?

Staff are required to wear food safety gear, including sanitary coats, hair nets, and beard nets if applicable. They must also wash their hands at hands-free washing stations whenever entering different processing areas to prevent contamination.

How is milk standardized to a specific fat content, such as 2% or 1%?

Milk is standardized by passing it through a separator that spins at high speeds. This process separates the cream from the milk, allowing the desired amount of cream to be removed to achieve the correct fat content.

What is the purpose of pasteurization in milk processing?

Pasteurization is a crucial step that involves heating the milk to a high temperature to kill harmful microorganisms. This process helps to ensure milk safety and extends its shelf life.

Why is homogenization important in the milk processing process?

Homogenization is important because it breaks down fat molecules in milk, ensuring they are evenly distributed. This prevents cream from separating and floating to the top of the milk.

What steps are taken to ensure the quality of the finished milk product?

At every stage of processing, quality control tests are conducted, including heat stress tests to detect bacteria. Samples of finished products are thoroughly tested to ensure they meet quality standards before being packaged and shipped.

How can a quality issue be traced back to its source if detected in the finished product?

If a quality issue arises, the milk packaging includes a lock code, which allows the quality control team to trace the product back to its original load. This helps quickly identify the source of the problem and prevent further issues.

What happens to the milk once it has passed all quality control checks?

Once the milk passes all quality control tests, it is packaged in sterilized cartons or bags, stamped with a best-before code, and stored in refrigerated conditions until it is ready to be transported to retailers.