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

Membrane Filtration Sampling
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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 
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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…

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

Using Preliminary Incubation Count for Measuring Raw Milk Quality
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Using Preliminary Incubation Count for Measuring Raw Milk Quality

ByDan Funke

The Preliminary Incubation (PI) Count for measuring the quality of raw milk has become increasingly popular since the production of quality milk is the number one goal of dairy farmers and cooperatives. The PI test is especially sensitive to psychrotrophic bacteria. These particular bacteria can grow at colder temperatures, which is why dairy processors are…

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

ByBrock Bigalke

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

ByGwen Raddatz

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…