is a geographical area which supplies the dairy with raw milk.) The cows should be
milked under sanitary conditions.
b. Cooling and Storing. In order to produce Grade A milk, the dairy farm must
have a separate milkroom or milkhouse where the milk is cooled, handled, and stored
prior to shipment. Milk containers, utensils, and milking equipment must be washed,
sanitized, and properly stored in the milkroom or milkhouse. Both pathogenic and
quality-destroying organisms may multiply in milk if the milk is not promptly and properly
cooled or delivered immediately to the processing plant.
(1) The two-hour rule. Milk delivered to the pasteurization plant within 2
hours after milking need not be cooled on the dairy farm.
(2) The temperature requirement. If not delivered within 2 hours, raw milk,
immediately after milking, should be cooled to 45F (7C) or lower until pasteurized at
the dairy plant.
c. Transportation. Every effort must be made to preclude contamination /
adulteration while on the farm and during transport to the dairy plant. Insulated bulk
tanks, equipped with pumps and sampling equipment and lined with stainless steel, are
normally used in transporting milk to pasteurization plants. With this method, milk is
pumped directly from the farm bulk tank to the truck. In areas where big collecting
stations are utilized, large insulated bulk tank trailers transport the milk.
1-12. DELIVERING MILK TO THE PLANT
Milk is usually delivered direct from the farm to the pasteurization plant in the city.
The raw milk is received from the farm, weighed, sampled, cooled, and held in storage
prior to pasteurization. Raw milk (milk which is unpasteurized) is normally delivered to
the milk pasteurization plant by bulk tank trucks and trailers. In some instances, milk
may be delivered in rail tank cars.
a. Inspection of Raw Milk. Raw milk is examined at time of delivery by the
plant management and local health officials. The frequency and thoroughness of the
examination varies according to the plant and local health officials. Military inspection
personnel responsible for the inspection must review plant and health inspection results
and programs to assure that they are satisfactory. These procedures, when in
compliance with current directives, are accepted to prevent duplication of inspection by
the military inspectors. Receiving examinations are simple initial quality checks.
(1) Temperature check. Another platform check is for the temperature of the
milk. This is done daily in warm areas. Since bacterial growth must be retarded, raw
milk is promptly cooled and maintained at a reasonably low temperature until
processed. The USPHS "Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance" requires milk to be
cooled at 45F (7C) or less and maintained there at until processed.
MD0715
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