Hi, Milk Scientists

When doing sampling from a milk tank to determine milk composotion, it is important that you sample from either the top or the bottom every time, even if you think that the milk was stirred enough – be consistent.

Also be aware that a round tank will probably only need 5 minutes of stirring, but a long/rectangular tank will need 10 minutes, because the milk do not build up momentum in those tanks.

Regards,

Leon the Milkman

Check this out:

Results of milk samples submitted for microbiological examination in Wisconsin from 1994 to 2001 : An article from: Journal of Dairy Science

Hi, Milkfans

The pH of milk should ideally be between 6.60 and 6.75.

When milk pH goes into the 6.5’s it is considered to be turning sour and above 6.80 there is reason to suspect mastitis(udder infection) or alkaline soaps – usually because of insufficient rinsing of tanks after cleaning.

Regards,

Leon the Milkman

Hi, Milk Scientists

Need to know how much milk to mix with another to get a certain butterfat %?

Use the Pearson Square or the “milk butterfat square”.  Subtract diagonally and convert to the positive if not. Mix the parts as calculated and you will get the center value ( the one you wanted ).

In this example 2/3 of the final volume of the 4% milk must be added to 1/3 of the 1% milk to get 3% milk. So if you wanted 1000 L of 3% milk, then you would need 666 L of 4% milk and add that to 333 L of 1% milk.

This also works well for juices with different concentrations (Brix).

Kind regards,

Leon the Milkman

Hi, Dairy Scientists

You start off with 3.8% butterfat and you skim off to 2% – what is the volume of milk remaining?

Let us say you started off with 1000 liters of milk and your resulting cream has a butterfat of 40%

3.8% – 2% = 1.8% difference per part

1.8% x 1000 liters = 1800 parts of fat to be removed

1800 ÷ 40% = 45 liters of cream

1000 liters – 45 liters = 955 liters of milk remaining.

Don’t ask me why or how – this is the way to do it – agreed?

Semi-convinced,

Leon the Milkman

Hi, Milk People

This week I got my new Combifoss system. It will test for milk solids, added water and SCC.

Will tell you later if I could figure it out.

Kind regards,

Leon the Milkman

Hi, Milkfans

These bacteria occur naturally in cold places like the Arctic.

They are important in frozen and refrigerated food where they can cause spoilage – even with the cold chain being maintained.

Examples are mould like Penicillium and bacteria like Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Clostridium.

They are an increasing problem in the dairy industry where the cold chain is maintained for longer periods on raw milk, than ever before in history.

Regards,

Leon the Milkman

 

 

Hi, Milkfans

I was a judge at the National Dairy Championships held by Agri-Expo in the Bellville Civic Centre, near Cape Town today.  Thanks, Agri-Expo, it was fun as usual.

May the best products win!

Kind regards,

Leon the Milkman

P.S. check out this following link if you judge dairy as well.

Judging dairy products

Hi, Cheesefans

Got a enquiry recently about why Pseudomonas bacteria love cottage cheese so much.

Well, I think it depends a lot on the flavour. 😉

Seriously Pseudomonas are widely distributed and aerobic.  They tend not to use much carbohydrate ( lactose removed from cottage cheese ) and grow well in protein-rich foods (like cottage cheese) producing slime, pigments and some bad odours. They also prefer a high water activity ( high moisture content) and thus cottage cheese is pretty much ideal. Many are also psychrotrophic ( cold-loving ).

Although optimum temperatures are from 15 degrees Celsius to temperate – thus allowing the temperatures to go so high would speed up their growth exponentially.

Goodday to ya,

Leon the Milkman