Methods for Monitoring the Quality of Raw Milk in Dairy Industry Enterprises

In dairy industry enterprises, incoming raw material control plays a huge role, as it directly affects the quality of the produced products. This raises the issue of detecting inhibitory and neutralizing substances in raw milk.

Neutralizing substances include soda (sodium carbonate and bicarbonate) and ammonium compounds. These substances are used by unscrupulous raw material suppliers to neutralize milk and extend its shelf life. The presence of neutralizing substances in milk leads to a range of technological difficulties, negatively impacting the quality indicators of the final product. Therefore, the presence of neutralizing substances is not permitted in milk supplied to dairy industry enterprises. GOST 24065-80 “Milk. Methods for Soda Determination” and GOST 24066-80 “Milk. Methods for Ammonia Determination” outline the procedures for detecting neutralizing substances. However, applying these methods often results in errors and ambiguous test results.

Delta-CT LLC manufactures and supplies test strips designed to detect neutralizing substances in milk. These test strips provide a fast, simple, and relatively inexpensive means of chemical analysis that can be performed in the field without expensive instruments, specialized equipment, or highly trained personnel. Additionally, studies have shown that the sensitivity of the test strips is significantly higher than standardized methods. The test strips yield a positive reaction even at low concentrations of neutralizing substances – as little as 5 mg/L of ammonia and 50 mg/L of soda.

Let’s examine the testing procedure:
– Pour 50-100 mL of milk into a clean glass and immerse the test strip for 1-2 seconds.
– Remove the test strip and shake off excess liquid with a quick motion.
– Place the test strip on filter paper or a paper towel with the indicator zone facing up and wait for 30 seconds.
– Compare the color of the indicator zone with the provided scale to determine the presence of neutralizing substances. The color remains stable after drying and can be recorded for over 30 days.

Thus, a single measurement takes less than a minute, making this testing method indispensable for large-scale raw milk analysis.