HOMOGENIZER

Homogenization is a process that gives milk its rich, white colour and smooth texture.
Milk that has not been homogenized contains a layer of cream that rises to the top of a glass.
The homogenization process involves reducing the size of the fat globules into miniscule
portions that are dispersed evenly throughout the milk. The homogenization process breaks
up an enzyme in milk which in its smaller state can then enter the bloodstream and react
against arterial walls. This causes the body to protect the area with a layer of cholesterol. If
this only happened once in a while it wouldn't be of big concern, but if it happens regularly
there are long term risks.

Proteins were created to be easily broken down by digestive processes.

Homogenization disrupts this and insures their survival so that they enter the bloodstream.
Many times the body reacts to foreign proteins by producing histamines, and then mucus.
Sometimes homogenized milk proteins resemble a human protein and can become triggers
for autoimmune diseases such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis. Homogenization usually is
achieved by pumping milk through small openings under very high pressure.

BOILER

COOLING

Two types of milk cooling systems are used on dairy farms which are direct expansion and
instant cooling:

Direct expansion

Direct expansion is a system where the evaporator plates are incorporated in the lower
portion of the storage tank in direct contact with the milk. Liquid refrigerant boils inside the
evaporator thus the name direct expansion. Milk cooling takes place within the tank. One or
more agitators move the milk over the evaporator plates for cooling. There is a limit to the
size of refrigerated milk cooling and storage tanks due to structural issues. There is also a
limit to the refrigerated surface area. The ability to remove heat from the milk fast enough to
meet cooling requirements with high milk loading rates is not possible without reducing
evaporator surface temperature to the point where freezing of milk may occur. This is
particularly challenging when milk temperatures approach 38 F. Agitating warm milk for
long periods of time can also be detrimental to milk quality.
 This system also cools the milk directly in the milk storage tank. The lower section of
the tank is the evaporator. There is a chance that the milk can be frozen at the evaporator if
the evaporator temperature is too low and there is insufficient mixing of the milk that allows
the milk to remain in contact with the evaporator too long.

Indirect or Instant Cooling

Instant cooling is where the milk cooling is completed external to the storage tank or
silo and then pumped into storage. An intermediate cooling fluid, such as chilled water from
an ice builder or a glycol-water mixture from a chiller is used to cool milk rapidly in a heat
exchanger rather than direct expansion. Theoretically there is no limit to the surface area in a
heat exchanger, only economical and practical limits. The trend towards larger milking herds,
greater milk production per cow and larger more efficient milking parlors [cows per hours]
has increased milk flow rate [gal/hr], with large volumes of milk to be cooled within a 24
hour period. The instant cooling system is not limited by the amount of surface cooling
area in the storage tank or silo. This is the most common cooling system on larger California
farms in spite of slightly less efficiency due to lower evaporator temperatures and pumping
energy required to move the intermediary fluid thru the heat exchangers.

Here an intermediary fluid, such as water or a water-glycol solution, is employed to

transport heat from the milk to the evaporator. The chiller generally works in conjunction
with a dual stage plate cooler. Well water is used in the first stage of the plate cooler to reduce
milk temperature to within 5F of input water temperature. The chiller provides 28-34 F
water propylene glycol solution to the second stage of the plate cooler. When milk enters
the second stage of the plate cooler, chilled solution from the chiller instantly cools the
milk to 38 F. The milk enters the bulk tank or silo completely cooled. Generally, instant
chilled water/glycol cooling systems are slightly less efficient than direct expansion systems.
The reason for the lower efficiency is the lower suction pressure to achieve lower evaporator
temperatures inherent to instant cooling systems and the pumping energy required to move
the water/glycol thru the heat exchanger. The lower temperatures and short heat transfer
period along with pumping energy cause the instant cooling system to use more energy per
hundredweight than a direct expansion system.

Sterilization (in bottle) is the term applied to a heat treatment process which has
a bactericidal effect greater than pasteurization. Although it does not result in
sterility, it gives the processed milk a longer shelf life. This is achieved partly by
using a more severe heat treatment (about 110C for 2030 min) and partly by
applying the treatment after the bottle is filled and sealed which eliminates the
risk of contamination during packaging. As a result of the long holding time at
this elevated temperature, the product has a cooked flavour and a pronounced
brown colour.

UHT treatment is a process of high bactericidal effect, developed as a continuous

flow process in which the milk is heated at 135C150C for about two seconds
only. This treatment must be integrated with aseptic packaging in sterile
containers. UHT milk has less pronounced cooked flavour and no brown colour.

As a criterion for packaging requirements for pasteurized milk in general, a shelf

life of several days at a temperature below 10C can be assumed. In-bottle
sterilized milk can normally be kept for weeks and UHT milk aseptically packaged
can be kept for several months, both without refrigeration, provided the package
is not opened. After opening, the sterility of the product is lost and the shelf life
becomes close to that of pasteurized milk.