Dairy processing : improving quality

Abstract

The first two chapters of part one provide a foundation for the rest of the book, summarising the latest research on the constituents of milk and reviewing how agricultural practice influences the quality of raw milk. This is followed by three chapters on key aspects of safety: good hygienic practice, improvements in pasteurisation and sterilisation, and the use of modelling to assess the effectiveness of pasteurisation. A final sequence of chapters in part one discuss aspects of product quality, from flavour, texture, shelf-life and authenticity to the increasingly important area of functional dairy products. Part two reviews some of the major technological advances in the sector. The first two chapters discuss developments in on-line control of process efficiency and product quality. They are followed by chapters on new technologies to improve qualities such as shelf-life, including high pressure processing, drying and the production of powdered dairy products, and the use of dissolved carbon dioxide to extend the shelf-life of milk. Part three looks in more detail at key advances in cheese manufacture.