Micro Testing for Post-pasteurization Contamination (Part 3)
| | | | | |

Micro Testing for Post-pasteurization Contamination (Part 3)

ByNeil Bogart

The first article in this series, Raw Milk Dairy Micro Testing, focused on Gram-negative bacteria in raw milk with the Preliminary Incubation (PI) Count and Fresh Standard Plate Count (SPC) tests. The second article, The Effects of Gram-positive HRSF Bacteria on Fluid Milk Shelf Life, discussed another classification of bacteria that was not known as…

Honoring Four Decades of Helping to Ensure Food Safety and Food Quality
| | | | |

Honoring Four Decades of Helping to Ensure Food Safety and Food Quality

ByMara Herschbach

On March 22, 2023, the QualiTru team met at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Food Science and Nutrition for an educational pilot plant tour led by Darrell Bigalke, founder of QualiTru Sampling Systems, dairy microbiologist, entrepreneur, and proud University of Minnesota alum.  As part of the celebration of QualiTru’s  40th anniversary, the team had…

The Effects of Gram-positive HRSF Bacteria on Fluid Milk Shelf Life (Part 2)
| | | | |

The Effects of Gram-positive HRSF Bacteria on Fluid Milk Shelf Life (Part 2)

ByNeil Bogart

The first article in this series, Raw Milk Micro Testing, focused on Gram-negative bacteria in raw milk with the Preliminary Incubation (PI) Count and Fresh Standard Plate Count (SPC) tests. In this second installment, I would like to discuss another classification of bacteria (Gram-positive HRSF Bacteria) that was not known as a major issue in fluid…

Raw Milk Dairy Micro Testing (Part 1)
| | | | |

Raw Milk Dairy Micro Testing (Part 1)

ByNeil Bogart

Why do you do it? What do the test results tell you? Is the test you use still a valid one? In part one of this dairy micro testing series, Raw Milk Dairy Micro Testing, I would like to take you on a journey through the development of some of the principal tests used in…

Why is Aseptic Inline Sampling Critical to Process Monitoring? 
| | | |

Why is Aseptic Inline Sampling Critical to Process Monitoring? 

ByMara Herschbach

The significant food safety recalls that have occurred in the dairy processing industry this past year, ranging from Listeria outbreaks in ice cream to Cronobacter in infant formula, and the Food and Drug Administration’s* (FDA)’s recent publication of its revised Investigations Operations Manual draw attention to the criticality of inline process monitoring of bacterial risks,…

Membrane Filtration Sampling
| | | | | |

Membrane Filtration Sampling

ByChris Pundmann

Membrane filtration is a widely used process in the dairy industry that separates specific components of milk and whey and then either concentrates or removes/reduces them. The technology used in cheese-making, whey protein concentration, fractionation of protein, and numerous other dairy processes requires special sampling considerations for both regulatory purposes and component analysis. It is…

Prevalence of Cold-tolerant Spore-forming Bacteria in the Milk Supply 
| | | | |

Prevalence of Cold-tolerant Spore-forming Bacteria in the Milk Supply 

ByClarence Johnson

The shelf life of pasteurized fluid milk is challenged by bacterial contamination that enters the finished milk supply through two portals: a) contamination by Gram-negative psychrotrophic bacteria during processing after pasteurization; and b) contamination by Gram-positive spore-forming bacteria that enter primarily through the raw milk supply. In today’s processing environment, where post-pasteurization contamination is largely…

Post-Pasteurization Contamination Monitoring: A Canary in the Coal Mine
| | |

Post-Pasteurization Contamination Monitoring: A Canary in the Coal Mine

ByDarrell Bigalke

Post-pasteurization contamination in dairy plants is a warning signal for potential food safety and spoilage concerns. While having an effective sanitation program gets the most attention, good sanitation alone cannot guarantee product quality and food safety. Sampling and testing products during processing are critical for identifying potential sources of post-pasteurization contamination. Possible causes of post-pasteurization…

Low-Spore Milk Production—The Mantra and its Benefits
| |

Low-Spore Milk Production—The Mantra and its Benefits

ByDavid Blomquist

Guest post: We are proud to introduce our guest blogger, David Blomquist. He is a well-known and respected consultant in the dairy and food processing industry. Read his full bio at the end of this article. Low-spore milk production has financial benefits for many producers and processors. Fluid milk plants can reduce shelf-life issues by…

Aseptic Sampling for Dairy Plants—Representative or Grab Sampling?
| | |

Aseptic Sampling for Dairy Plants—Representative or Grab Sampling?

ByAnne Bigalke

Aseptic sampling for dairy plants is essential for quality management. A dairy processor can only be assured of final product quality if strict, comprehensive sampling and testing protocols are followed throughout the process, from unloading the milk at the plant to the finished product. Aseptic and representative sampling for dairy plants is crucial for accurate…