Q. Show Milk – quality specification?

Milk is a whole, clean, fresh lacteal secretion obtained by complete milking of one or more healthy milch animals. Milking is not done 15 days before or 5 days after calving or such periods as may be necessary to render the milk practically colostrum free containing minimum prescribed percentage of milk fat and SNF (solids non-fat). The components of milk are water, which is around 87 per cent, fat, present in the form of an emulsion, protein (3.5%), lactose, vitamins and minerals. Milk is classified on the basis of SNF and fat content. The PFA standards prescribed for milk is given in Table.

The quality of milk and milk products is rigorously controlled by laboratory tests at each  stage till the  milk is delivered to the final consumer. Thus, some tests are regarded as the platform tests of milk, which results in acceptance, or rejection of the milk samples collected. Milk is evaluated for its fat, milk solids non-fat and various adulterants in milk. The tests can be regarded as physical tests, chemical tests and microbiological analysis. In this chapter we will limit ourselves to the physical and chemical tests for milk analysis.