Chapter 6 - Milk and Dairy Products

Abstract

Milk is a highly nutritious food consumed, along with its derivatives, in many countries, cultures, and population groups. In today’s milk and dairy industry, contamination with hazards threatening the consumer’s health can derive from various sources and could be represented by pathogenic microorganisms or their toxins, chemical agents used in veterinary, farming, and manufacturing practices or due to environmental pollution, as well as by physical agents such as foreign bodies. Moreover, it can occur at any stage of the milk production: on the farm, during storage and transport, in the processing plant, in the retail store, and even at the consumer’s home. Therefore, actions must be taken to control contaminations at various stages along the food chain. In this book chapter, we provide an overview of the hazards tainting milk and dairy products as well as of the control measures to improve their safety, also referring to good practices guides and food regulations.