In order to ensure high quality milk to the public, a quick a accurate
measure of shelf life is needed. There are a number of bacteriological
variables involved with determining shelf life and no single test measures
all the possible factors involved. That is why I & A Lab has developed
a system in its approach to this problem. By using several test a reliable
prediction of shelf life can be made. This testing system will enable
you to ensure that a high quality product is provided to your customers.
In order to provide
you with the most accurate results possible three samples are needed from
each production run, one from the beginning, middle, and end. This will
help in determining if the contamination is in the finished product or
introduced into the finished product sometime during the production run.
This type of contamination can come from a variety of sources like equipment,
line worker, and the processing environment.
Coliform Bacteria
- The presence of coliforms in pasteurized milk can lead to serious
problems. In general their presence is due to improper pasteurization
or to recontamination caused by unclean equipment. In addition to pointing
out sanitary problems, coliform bacteria may cause defects in milk. These
defects may include bitterness and unpleasant odors.
Standard Plate
Count - The shelf life of pasteurized milk cannot be predicted
by traditional standard plate count methods. This is unfortunate because
many of these bacteria can affect the shelf life of pasteurized milk.
The importance of this is that the storage temperature in retail outlets
and in the home of consumers may not be low enough to prevent the grow
of these bacteria, but the may have a negative effect in the quality of
your milk if allowed to grow. At I & A Lab we have done research and
collect database that allow us to relate initial plate counts to an estimate
of shelf life. This method compensate for the limitations of predicting
shelf life with standard plate counts methods.
Pseudomonas
- Pseudomonas is a bacteria of great importance in the dairy industry.
This bacteria grows very well at low temperatures and has a major impact
on the shelf life of pasteurized milk. Many of the common defects in the
flavor and aroma of milk are due to the grow of this family of bacteria.
The presence of Pseudomonas in pasteurized milk is almost always due to
post pasteurization contamination. This can be from improper sanitary
practices. Pseudomonas can also be present in the water used to clean
equipment in the factory. There have also been several studies that show
that Pseudomonas can adhere to stainless steel surface. By using the Pseudomonas
count an accurate determination of shelf life can be made.
It is the goal of
I & A Lab to provide you with testing methods that will unable you
to provide your customers with the highest quality product possible. We
believe that this testing procedure will allow you to reach this goal.
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