Controlling of Milk Solids Losses

Now we have understood that it is very important to reduce milk solids losses in a dairy plant. Concerted efforts are required to control these losses. Unplanned commitments are not enough to have judicious control and therefore, systematic approach has to be adopted. Following approaches are most prominently adopted in the well efficient milk plants:

i) Milk Losses Accounting: In order to exercise control over the routine operations, timely measurement and testing of all the incoming, in-process stock,transferred stock /sale and closing stock is recorded. At the definite interval,say shift, day, week, and month, quarter of year or annual, records are analysed to determine milk solids losses. Accounting of section or product or operation wise will help in determining exact point of loss to take accurate step for preventing losses.There could be three ways to account milk or milk product losses; these are:

a) Comparing Input with Output: In this method of losses account, the milk solids received by the dairy is accounted on actual basis, say it is “A”. Now the actual output for realization /sale is also accounted; say it is “B”. The quantum of milk solids losses would be calculated by comparing B with A.Thus milk solids losses in percentage would be (A-B)*100 / A

b) Comparing Input with Standards: The milk solids received by the dairy is compared with the standards and gap is calculated to determine the milk solids losses.

c) Usage and Production System: This is time consuming and costly procedure to determine milk solids handling losses. In this method, all the inventories, inputs, intermediary and finished products are accounted for their milk quantities and solids contents. Based on the actual quantity at a point of time, say shift, daily or periodically (milk bill payment period, month, quarter, six month or annual), the difference between “ milk solids from receipt and opening inventories” and “ milk solids in milk / products sale,stock, in process stock” is calculated. Handling losses are determined as percentage of the above difference with the sum of input and opening quantities. In this method laboratory tests for input, in-process and finished product are considered. However, in some cases required product standards as per weight and measure or PFA are considered for finished product

ii) Modernization of Processes: Out-dated technology to be replaced by new one to minimize losses. There are numerous examples of such improvement plans. Use of computerized milk reception in place of manual gives more accurate testing and weighing along with prompt accounting of reception. Other example would be replacing manual filling and packing by good quality automatic fillers and packing machine.

iii) Fixing Frequency of Equipment Cleaning: On the basis of experience and exercises, frequency of pasteurizer and chiller CIP cleaning should be finalized to minimize losses on account of frequent drainage and flushing.

iv) Regular Monitoring Plan must have comparative bench-mark of best of class in the similar type of plants. Balancing stocks and testing the effluents quality can monitor the milk solids losses. This will guide to excel for identifying and correction for losses.

v) Continual Improvement Techniques: A small group of plant personnel to work as quality circle for identifying causes for losses and their expected solution have been found very effective.

vi) Utilization of By-product to a great extent by re-using them or marketing.This also requires efforts for product development to accommodate effective utilization of the by-products.

vii) Implementing Clean production or Environment Management System(EMS) Techniques: Such as ISO: 14000 series advocates pollution management through a systematically designed loss prevention programmes with effective multi-stage/layer monitoring / audits. Thus successful implementation will improve the situation with sustenance.