Modern Dairy Technology

The first of two volumes on advances in process technology in the dairy industry. Volume 1 deals with liquid milk and its immediate derivatives such as cream, butter, and dried milk/milk components. Chapters cover: heat treatment of milk; developments in cream separation and processing; production of butter and dairy based spreads; drying of milk and milk products; protection against fire and explosion in spray driers; membrane processing of milk; utilization of milk components--whey and casein; and automation in the dairy. This edition (the first was published in 1986 by Elsevier) highlights the way in which manufacturing procedures have been modified over the past ten years. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

As with the products and processes described in Volume· I of this book, many of the technical changes associated with, for example, the manufacture of cheeses or fermented milks have been subtle rather than dramatic. Nonetheless, the importance for the dairy industry has often been profound. The market demand for dairy products containing 'health-promoting' cultures is a development that was barely discernible 10 years ago, and yet many manufacturers are now generating a whole range of bio-yoghurts and similar retail items. Similarly, the legislation covering food hygiene has been modified to place additional demands upon manufacturers, a move that has in turn encouraged the further development of analytical methods for quality controL These modifications to manufacturing practices are, along with many others, reflected in this second edition, and I acknowledge with gratitude the enthusiastic co-operation of all the authors associated with this project in bringing their disparate contributions up-to-date. R. K. ROBINSON v Preface to the First Edition Retail sales of most dairy products are still on the increase world-wide, and this expansion is, at least in part, a reflection of the fact that prices have tended to remain at a competitive level.

The dairy industry is, in many countries, a major contributor to the manufacturing capacity of the food sector, and as more components of milk are utilised in processed foods, so this importance is likely to grow. Already dairy operations range from the straightforward handling of liquid milk through to the production of highly sophisticated consumer items, and it is of note that all this activity is based on a raw material that is readily perishable at ambient temperatures. This competitive, commercial position, together with the fact that the general public has a high regard for dairy products, is an indication of the extent to which milk producers and processors have combined to ensure that retail prO(;lucts are both nutritious and hygienically acceptable. Achievement of these aims, and at reasonable cost, has depended in large measure on the advances that have been made in the handling of large volumes of milk. Thus, factories designed to handle millions of litres of milk per week are now commonplace, and it is the plant and equipment involved that provides the factual background for this two-volume book.