Dairy Processing - May/June 2023 - 63

been processed on not just one, but a number of different
production lines.
When adding MicroThermics testing equipment to an
existing facility, he said one of the most important factors is
making sure staff is fully and properly trained, which is why
the company provides it.
" It's like driving a car, " he said, adding that it is not
difficult to operate. " But if you don't know how to do it, it
doesn't work. "
Equipment is designed to be accurate to the production
process, and Miles said MicroThermics even has a fully
automated series. That allows an operator to set up the
equipment for a specific process and " push go, " setting off
sequential automation and a sterilization cycle.
" And once it's ready for product, it essentially alerts the
operator and says, 'Hey, you're ready.' And that takes a lot of
burden off of the operators. "
Creating an accurate process in a lab setting, he said,
can be an investment that speeds a company's research and
takes products from conception to manufacturing much
more quickly.
MEASURING, TESTING FOR SAFETY
At Page & Pedersen International, Ltd., Hopkinton, Mass., the
company's creed is " you must measure to manage. " Jackie
Page, the company's president, explained that on-site testing
is " essential " to processors.
" You simply can not wait hours - or days - for results, "
Page said.
Establishing a reliable, effective lab testing space within
a dairy processing facility, she added, allows companies to
manufacture safe, quality products on a day-to-day basis.
A supplier to the global dairy industry at the small- to
mid-sized level, Page & Pedersen designs and manufactures
fit-for-purpose instruments. Page said monitoring the quality
of incoming milk ensures a facility is beginning its process on
a solid foundation.
" Testing for extraneous water and Somatic Cell Counts are
quick tests that keep bad product out of your plant, " she gave
as one example.
" Microbial testing at milk reception and in-process testing
at critical points confirm good hygiene and proper processing, "
Page added. " Random tests of finished product for alkaline
phosphatase and microbial load before it leaves the plant stops
sub-standard products before they leave the plant. "
Even though all dairy products are highly regulated, Page
pointed out, some require more scrutiny. She said those include
value-added products such as milk chocolate and soft rind
cheeses, as well as dairy alternatives that are labeled as " milk. "
" The consumer has high expectations of dairy products as
LactiCheck Milk Analyzer from Page
& Pedersen.
safe, nutritious, healthy foods, " Page said. " In order to meet
and exceed these hard-earned expectations, lab testing must
be put in place throughout the dairy system to ensure good,
safe, healthy products reach the consumer at all times. "
When a company adds lab testing equipment to its facility,
Page said it is important to consider the areas in which lab
results can have the biggest impact. She pointed to consistent
quality, safety and optimal product taste and flavor.
Additionally, financial consideration and yield are
paramount. Page recommended processors examine
whether adding testing at critical points could confirm
proper outcomes.
" For example, if you test the composition of your whey,
will it allow you to make adjustments in the cutting or other
points of your cheesemaking process to confirm you are
getting good results every day? Are you implementing testing
of finished products so that you can prove that finished
products are safe when they go out your doors? "
FAST-TRACKING RESULTS
Access to rapid results on site also allows for quick formula
changes to products as they are being manufactured, said
Eileen Stochl, process product manager for CEM Corporation,
Matthews, NC. The global company provides solutions for
critical laboratory applications.
When processors can make necessary adjustments without
slowing production, Stochl said, batches can be released more
quickly and companies don't have to waste time waiting for
lab results from an outside source.
" Rapid and accurate feedback is critical for efficient
manufacturing, resulting in savings to the bottom line, " she said.
DAIRYPROCESSING.COM | MAY-JUN 2023 63
Page & Pedersen
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
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