Best Practice to Extend the Lifespan of Dairy Products
Milk and cheese are the two most consumed items from the food industry. They are considered staple ingredients in the pantry, meaning without one or both, it is rather impossible to maintain the taste in the food menu with balanced calories. Dairy products such as cream, yogurt, and cheese have a short lifespan on the market shelf. Extending the shelf life of dairy reduces the waste and boosts the profitability of the industry. It is a way of enhancing food safety and customer satisfaction. Through a combination of hygiene, technology, and packaging, the control environment can be created via a cooling system and increase the lifespan of dairy products.
Here in this guide, let’s follow the best practice set by M&M Equipment to increase the lifespan of dairy products in the market and offer more in the market.
Maintain Strict Hygiene Standards
One of the most critical steps in extending the life of dairy products in the market is to maintain hygiene throughout the production line. Contamination with bacteria or spoilage organisms can have a massive impact on shortening the product life. Utilizing the sanitized equipment and training the staff on hygiene protocol are the start of this process.
High-Quality Raw Material
Shelf life starts with the quality of ingredients. Using fresh and high-quality milk with low fat and microbial content leads to a better foundation for preservation. We source milk from reliable farms and test the incoming milk for bacterial counts as part of our quality testing process.
Optimize Pasteurization Process
Proper heat treatment helps destroy the pathogens while preserving product integrity. Each dairy requires a specific time-temperature combination for optimal safety and shelf life. Monitoring of temperature all the time and treatment of products using UHT extend the lifespan of milk and its products.
Improved Packaging
Packaging is the most important process in maintaining the quality of the product. From freshness to packaging materials to blocking light, oxygen, and other moisture can delay the spoilage. The use of vacuum sealing and multilayer films with oxygen barriers is the new trendy packaging to protect the milk outside of cooling systems.
Cooling System and Cold Chain Management
A rapid cooling system is a necessity for the dairy products. It is highly important for the milk and its products to have maximized cooling temperature. A consistent cold environment leads to protecting the dairy products and increasing their lifespan. Investing in an energy-efficient cooling system and monitoring the temperature in real time allows the dairy farm team to have better cold chain tracking and product.
Add Natural Preservatives
Certain natural additives and probiotic cultures are added to the milk to keep it from spoiling and maintain a clean label. Using such microbial cultures in yogurt and cheese leads to extending the life of dairy products.
M&M Equipment Contribution
M&M Equipment has played a significant role in enhancing shelf life strategies within the dairy industry. By offering advanced cooling systems and cold storage tailored to modern dairy farms and supply chain processes, their reliability in increasing and maintaining the standards of dairy products is an exemplary standard.
They understand that extending the lifespan of dairy products is not an easy task. It is a multi-faceted approach and would require active participation. In a market where consumers expect both taste and trust, the best practices for dairy products by the M&M Equipment team are defined. You may also connect with the experts via website visit and learn more about cooling systems and other necessary equipment.