How To Process Milk

M. Eko
Milk is obtained from the cow (or goat, sheep, or water buffalo) under sanitary and cooled to 45°F (7°C) within 2 hours of milking. Milk is picked up by a handler who takes a sample and then pumps the milk from farm's bulk tank into the milk truck. A handler may pick up milk from more than one farm, so a truck load may contain milk from several farms when it is delivered to the processing plant. Before the milk can be unloaded at the processing plant, each load is tested for antibiotic residues. If the milk shows no evidence of antibiotics, it is pumped into the plant's holding tanks for further processing. If the milk does not pass antibiotic testing, the entire truck load of milk is discarded and the farm samples are tested to find the source of the antibiotic residues. Regulatory action is taken against the farm with the positive antibiotic test. Positive antibiotic tests are rare, and account for far less than 1% of the tank loads of milk delivered to processing plants.

Milk at the plant is stored at less than 45°F (7°C) and is usually processed within 24 hours, but can held for up to 72 hours (3 days) before processing. Longer holding time allows for growth of spoilage organisms that grow at refrigerator temperatures, called psychrotrophs.
Milk contains calcium that are beneficial to our growth, so consume the milk every day to our health.