Milk Hygiene Flashcards
What is cow milk made of?
13% solids, 87% water. It is a complex mixture of fats, proteins, carbs, minerals, vitamins, and water.
Grade A milk is defined as such by who? What is it for?
Defined as such by the pasteurized milk ordinance. It is for liquid consumption and any milk in interstate commerce.
Is milk bacteriologically sterile?
No. mastitis, bacteria in the teat canal, bacteria on the skin of the teat, post harvest contamination…so many things!
What criteria does grade A milk leaving the farm have to meet?
cooled to 7 C within 2 hours, somatic cell count less than 750,000, bacterial count less than 100,000 and no positive drug residue test.
What should you do to the teats before milking?
clean them (sanitize in teat dip) and thoroughly dry them before milk them.
What other precautions should be taken to lower bacterial counts?
equipment should be easy to clean, there shouldn’t be standing water in the pasture/yard of cows, and the cows’ bellies, udder, flanks, and tails, should be clean and dry
How long can milk be refrigerated in the bulk milk tanks?
up to 4 days
Where is milk analyzed for bacteria, somatic cell counts, and composition?
at the milk receiving station.
Does the clarifier remove bacteria?
No, only dirt, straw, blood, somatic cells, and manure.
What does the separator do?
separates milk with different amounts of fat (skim, 1%, 2%, cream)
Pasteurization of milk is currently based on the thermal death of what bacteria?
Coxiella burnetii
What else does pasteurization do?
inactivates enzymes in milk and enhances the shelf life.
What is the difference between batch and continuous flow pasteurization?
Continuous flow has milk flowing through a heated tube with monitored transit time and temp; gives milk less of a “cooked” taste. Batch heats the entire vat at once, and holds it at the appropriate temp, for the appropriate amount of time.
What is the end process/requirements of pasteurized milk?
Cooled to less than 45 F and maintained there. The milk has to have less than 20,000 bacteria/mL, less than 10 coliform bacteria/mL, and a negative phosphatase test.
Is there a bacterial limit for cheese or cottage cheese?
no…
