Impact of Bacteriophages in Dairy Processing – Part 1
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Impact of Bacteriophages in Dairy Processing – Part 1

The quality of milk can be negatively impacted by multiple sources of contamination in a dairy processing plant. Previous blogs focused primarily on microbial contamination of raw milk caused by various bacteria. For products such as cheese and yogurt, starter culture bacteria play a positive and essential role. However, the fermentation function of starter cultures can be threatened by another microbial contamination, bacteriophages, or phages as…

Water System Testing for Microorganisms in a Brewery – Committed to Quality
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Water System Testing for Microorganisms in a Brewery – Committed to Quality

Water system testing for microorganisms in a brewery is a regular part of the process at Cold Spring Brewing Company (CSBC). It has been the hallmark of this iconic brewery for well over a century and shows its total commitment to quality. A brief history of CSBC CSBC is located in Cold Spring, Minnesota. It…

Psychrotrophic Bacteria in Pasteurized Milk—Spoilage, Testing, and Line Sampling
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Psychrotrophic Bacteria in Pasteurized Milk—Spoilage, Testing, and Line Sampling

Bacteria in pasteurized milk is the leading cause of spoilage and reducing shelf-life. Refer to my earlier posts, How Bacterial Generation Times Impact Fluid Milk Quality and Shelf-life and Heat-Resistant Psychrotrophic Bacteria and Their Effect on the Quality of Pasteurized Milk. In those posts, I discussed the collective efforts of the dairy industry and regulatory…

The Sample – Our Weakest Link!?
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The Sample – Our Weakest Link!?

If we trust the sampling and testing process, we are more confident in the result and can make informed decisions. To illustrate, let’s look at a non-dairy industry example. Recently, my doctor ordered a blood sample. Keen to divert my attention from the needle, I looked out of the window and reflected on the seamless…