From flavored milk to cheese, some of the best dairy products start with high-quality milk reception. Milk is one of the most consumed food products, offering a perfect blend of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. It plays a crucial role in nutrition, promoting stronger bones, immunity, and energy levels.
Globally, around 150 million households are engaged in milk production, primarily in rural areas. This milk is then transported to dairy processing plants to meet the urban demand. Due to its perishable nature, milk must be collected, transported, and processed quickly to maintain its quality and safety.
Milk Procurement Methods
Efficient milk procurement is key to ensuring a steady supply of raw milk for dairy processing plants. The common procurement methods include:
1. Direct Procurement from Individual Producers
- Local producers bring milk to the dairy plant in their own containers.
- Suitable for nearby farmers with small-scale production.
2. Milk Collection through Cooperative Organizations
- Cooperatives manage milk collection, ensuring a direct supply to processing plants.
- Eliminates middlemen, maximizing profit for farmers.
3. Milk Procurement via Contractors
- Contractors buy milk at a lower price from farmers and supply it to dairy plants.
- Farmers may receive lower returns, as the contractor keeps a profit margin.
4. Milk Reception from Bulk Milk Chilling Centers (BMCs)
- BMCs collect, chill, and store milk under controlled conditions.
- Ensures quality preservation before transportation to processing plants.
Milk Reception at Raw Milk Reception Dock (RMRD)
The Raw Milk Reception Dock (RMRD) is designed for efficient milk unloading and quality control. It follows two main collection methods:
1. Tanker Milk Unloading
- Used in large dairy plants to receive milk in bulk.
- Milk is directly transferred into insulated silos to maintain its temperature.
2. Can Milk Unloading
- Suitable for small dairy plants to minimize transportation costs.
- Milk is received in metal cans, which are manually unloaded.
3. Combination of Can and Tanker Unloading
- Used by high-capacity dairy plants that require large milk volumes.
- Combines both tanker and can-based reception for flexibility.
Key Components & Operations of Milk Reception
1. Weighing the Milk
- Milk quantity is measured by weight or volume.
- Tanker weight is recorded before and after unloading to calculate net milk received.
- Flow meters are used to measure milk volume.
2. Sampling & Quality Checks
- Sampling is crucial for milk quality assurance.
- Platform tests include appearance, odor, taste, acidity, and sediment checks.
- Additional laboratory tests ensure compliance with food safety standards.
3. Unloading Process
- Can Milk Unloading:
- Cans are unloaded manually or using conveyors.
- Milk inspection, sampling, and weight recording are conducted.
- Tanker Milk Unloading:
- Tankers are positioned in the tanker bay.
- Flexible hoses transfer milk into the processing pipeline.
- Non-reactive hoses are used to maintain milk quality.
4. Milk Chilling
- Immediately after reception, milk is cooled to 4°C - 5°C.
- Chilling methods include:
- Surface coolers
- Plate heat exchangers (PHE)
- Internal tubular coolers
5. Milk Storage in Silos
- Cooled raw milk is stored in vertical milk silos.
- Silos are insulated to maintain the required temperature.
- Side-mounted propeller agitators prevent cream separation.
6. Milk Transfer via Booster Pumps
- Booster pumps regulate milk flow and temperature.
- Ensures smooth transfer from chilling units to silos.
7. Milk Filtration using Disk Filters
- Milk passes through disk filters to remove impurities and contaminants.
Significance of Milk Reception in Dairy Processing
India, as the leading milk producer, faces immense pressure to process and store large milk volumes efficiently. Due to its rich fat and protein content, milk is highly susceptible to:
- Microbial growth if not stored under proper conditions.
- Adulteration risks, as it can carry additives and contaminants.
For food processing consultants and food technology consultants, this phase is essential to design hygienic, cost-efficient, and compliant facilities. Clean design, cold chain integration, and process automation all start with optimized milk reception.
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