Milk Testing A Laboratory Control Of Milk

Description

Dairy foods and ingredients in general and fermented milk products in particular are well recognized for their nutritional and therapeutic attributes and as functional foods. The market of functional foods, in particular fermented milk products, is expected to triple in next five years world over because fermented milks possess many advantages like easy production, better keeping quality and nutritive value, easier digestibility, pleasing flavour and taste as well as strong therapeutic potentials. Testing of raw milk is required to determine the composition (fat, protein), the bacterial and biological levels (Total Bacteria Count and Total Somatic Cell Count) as well as to determine the inhibitory substances such as dirt, antibiotics, disinfectants etc. Milk is a fluid secreted by the mammary glands of healthy cows of the bovine species during the usual lactation period by means of complete and regular milking. It is a concentrated food, designed to initially protect the newly born animal by supplying concentrated antibodies to counter disease (passive immunity), until the immune system of the young animal is fully functional, and thereafter also to ensure rapid growth until the young are more independent.