Dairy Processing Research Articles

The Sources of Bacillus cereus Contamination and their Association with Cereulide Production in Dairy and Cooked Rice Processing Lines

Abstract Bacillus cereus, a spore-forming bacterium and frequent cause of food poisoning, poses a safety threat to dairy and rice industries due to its high contamination rates and ability to produce toxins such as cereulide. Because of widespread presence and thermal resistance of the spores, B. cereus cannot be eliminated from the environment and may survive in processing plants. Surviving spores can develop into vegetative cells, leading to a heightened risk of cereulide production in the processing environment. Both spores and vegetative cells have the ability to adhere to the surfaces of dairy plants and form biofilms, serving as the site for cereulide production and accumulation. Therefore, it is crucial for the food industry to address potential sources and pathways of B. cereus contamination and their connections to cereulide production in processing lines. In this review, sources of contamination of B. cereus, including spores, vegetative cells, and biofilms and their potential role in cereulide production at each stage of dairy and cooked rice processing were analyzed. In addition, control methods to prevent B. cereus contamination and cereulide production in processing lines were proposed, offering valuable insights for improving microbial risk management in the food industry.

Comparison of the Quality of Mountain Sheep Milk Obtained from Animals Kept on a Natural and Organic Mountain Pasture

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of mountain sheep milk obtained from animals kept on mountain pastures: natural and organic. The experimental procedure was conducted under production conditions, during annual grazing of mountain sheep on two mountain pastures in the region of the Polish Carpathians: on organic pasture certified for organic farming and natural mountain pasture belonging to the National Park. This study showed greater plant species diversity in the organic mountain pasture, but its yielding was lower than that of the natural pasture. The sward of the natural pasture was characterised by lower dry matter and fibre content but contained more total protein. The type of pasture did not affect the basic composition of the milk of mountain sheep, while differences were found in terms of acidity, alcohol number, fatty acid profile of fat and milk protein fractions. Milk obtained from sheep grazed on organic pasture was characterised by a higher proportion of medium chain fatty acids, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids, and also essential unsaturated fatty acids, both linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid. In milk originating from the natural mountain pasture, a higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid and the CLA c9-t11 isomer was found. The composition of milk protein fractions varied according to the location of grazing: milk from sheep grazing on natural pasture had a higher content of whey fractions, important for consumer health, milk from organic pasture had a higher content of κ-casein, of greatest importance in dairy processing technology. The floral composition of the pasture had an influence on the quality of sheep milk in relation to the fatty acid profile of fat and protein fractions of milk, which is important in terms of both the health-promoting and technological aspects of the raw material and may affect the quality of products made from it.

Efluenti iz industrijske prerade hrane životinjskog porekla kao medijumi za proizvodnju biokontrolnih agenasa

Intensive food production to feed the growing human population requires significant material and energy resources, simultaneously generating large amounts of waste, whose treatment adds an additional cost to the overall production process. Wastewaters arising from meat and dairy processing industries contain large amounts of organic and inorganic nutrients, which present a heavy environmental burden, but, on the other hand, could serve as nutrient sources for microbial growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of meat processing wastewater and whey from the dairy industry as media for the growth of biocontrol strain Bacillus velezensis IP22. Both waste-based media have contributed to antibacterial and antifungal activity to a similar degree, with highly comparable inhibition zone diameters against Xanthomonas campestris, Xanthomonas euvesicatoria and Aspergillus flavus. Furthermore, biocontrol activity of the cultivation broths obtained using the waste-based media was slightly lower compared to the nutrient broth medium, suggesting the possibility to replace the expensive chemically defined medium with a complex medium alternative. This approach based on circular economy principles promotes responsible resource utilization through the reuse of food industry effluents for the production of value value-added products, opening a chapter of possibilities to establish an industrial symbiosis network between companies in different industry branches.

A Case Study of Food Safety Training Delivery Methods in Dairy Processing Plants

Computer-based and supervisor-led trainings are the most common approaches to training employees on food safety across the food industry. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of training format on changes in food safety knowledge, intentions, and compliance. Individualized and group trainings were developed using behaviorism and constructivism learning theories on four food safety topics. The training programs were implemented at 66 dairy processing plants. Pre- and posttest evaluations were received from 793 employees at 22 dairy plants using a validated evaluation method. Data were collected in the form of 14 pre- and posttraining supervisor audits and employee surveys. Group trainings that involved direct instruction and social learning methods were more effective for increasing knowledge than were individual trainings utilizing programmed instruction. The change in noncompliance associated with receiving training was not significantly different, however, possibly due to the limitations of the study such as the small sample size. Regressions also revealed that knowledge was a significant positive predictor of compliance, whereas intention was not.

АНАЛИЗ ФАЛЬСИФИКАЦИИ И БИОБЕЗОПАСНОСТИ МОЛОКА СЫРЬЯ В АЛТЫНСАРИНСКОМ РАЙОНЕ

The article shows monitoring studies on the issue of providing dairy processing enterprises with raw materials produced by dairy farms located in the Kostanay region. The research was carried out on the materials of official statistics using analytical materials of public administration bodies. To establish the well-being of the subsidiary farms of the Altynsarinsky district, the monitoring of the reporting documentation provided by the veterinary supervision authorities was carried out. The analysis of scientific articles on the safety of raw milk was carried out, with citations from foreign and domestic literature. The article reveals the problem of shortage and falsification of raw materials in the Kostanay region. The percentage and type of falsification have been established. The analysis of the purchased raw milk from individual deliverers, according to physico-chemical and microbiological indicators, was carried out. The results of microbiological examination of raw milk samples are reflected. The percentage of bacterial contamination of the studied samples was established. Studies of raw milk on the content of somatic cells were also carried out. The article shows the analysis of the naturalness of raw milk. To do this, the following indicators were determined: dry skimmed milk residue, density, mass fraction of fat. The importance of the work of specialists of veterinary supervision and control in terms of educational activities with individual deliverers was also noted.

EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MANAGEMENT OF THE INTELLECTUAL POTENTIAL OF MILK PROCESSING ENTERPRISES

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to research into the issues of improving the methodology for assessing the effectiveness of managing industrial property objects as a component of intellectual property in the context of their role in shaping the intellectual potential of dairy processing enterprises. Methodology of research. The following research methods were used to achieve the goal: analysis and synthesis, abstract and logical – for the formulation of theoretical generalizations, identification of the essence of the concept of the intellectual potential of the enterprise, its constituent reserves of raising its level at the enterprise; monographic and comparative – for the systematization of the elements of the social and economic component of managing the intellectual potential of enterprises, identifying the relationship between the intangible assets of the enterprise and the development of intellectual potential; graphic – for visualization of research results. Findings. The existence of clear and hidden opportunities (reserves) for increasing the level of use of intellectual potential at each enterprise was identified and substantiated. The place and significance of industrial property objects in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of the intellectual property management of the enterprise, which together with other elements form the social and economic component of the management of its intellectual potential, are substantiated. The role of industrial property objects and the importance of improving the efficiency of their management in ensuring an increase in the level of use of the intellectual potential of milk processing enterprises have been established. Due to the predominant financing of innovative developments of enterprises at the expense of their own funds, the need to take into account the economic efficiency of such developments for the enterprises themselves when evaluating the effectiveness of managing their intellectual potential is substantiated. The necessity of developing a system of indicators for evaluating the efficiency of management of industrial property objects was determined. Originality. The method of evaluating the economic efficiency of managing industrial property objects as elements of forming the intellectual potential of milk processing enterprises has received further development. Practical value. Based on the results of the research, the system of indicators for evaluating the efficiency of the management of industrial property objects can have practical use for determining the vectors of improving the management of the intellectual potential of milk processing enterprises. Key words: management, intellectual potential, intellectual property, intangible assets, objects of industrial property, trademark, brand, certificate, patent

Effect of reverse osmosis and ultra-high-pressure homogenization on the composition and microstructure of sweet buttermilk

Buttermilk (BM), the by-product of butter making, is similar to skim milk (SM) composition. However, it is currently undervalued in dairy processing because it is responsible for texture defects (e.g., crumbliness, decreased firmness) in cheese and yogurt. One possible way of improving the incorporation of BM into dairy products is by the use of technological pretreatments such as membrane filtration and homogenization. The study aimed at characterizing the effect of preconcentration by reverse osmosis (RO) and single-pass ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH) on the composition and microstructure of sweet BM to modify its techno-functional properties (e.g., protein gel formation, syneresis, firmness). The BM and RO BM were treated at 0, 15, 150, and 300 MPa. Pressure-treated and control BM and RO BM were ultracentrifuged to fractionate them into the following 3 fractions: a supernatant soluble fraction (top layer), a colloidal fraction consisting of a cloudy layer (middle layer), and a high-density pellet (bottom layer). Compositional changes in the soluble fraction [lipid, phospholipid (PL), protein, and salt], as well as its protein profile by PAGE analysis, were determined. Modifications in particle size distribution upon UHPH were monitored by laser diffraction in the presence and absence of sodium citrate to dissociate the casein (CN) micelles. Microstructural changes in pressure-treated and non-pressure-treated BM and RO BM particles were monitored by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Particle size analysis showed that UHPH treatment significantly decreased the size of the milk fat globule membrane fragments in BM and RO BM. Also, pressure treatment at 300 MPa led to a significant increase in the recovery of total lipids, CN, calcium, and phosphate in the BM soluble fraction (top layer) following ultracentrifugation. However, PL were primarily concentrated in the pellet cloud (middle layer), located above the pellet in BM concentrated by RO. In contrast, PL were evenly distributed between soluble and colloidal phases of BM. This study provides insight into the modifications of sweet BM constituents induced by RO and UHPH from a compositional and structural perspective.

Diversity of Filamentous Fungi Associated with Dairy Processing Environments and Spoiled Products in Brazil.

Few studies have investigated the diversity of spoilage fungi from the dairy production chain in Brazil, despite their importance as spoilage microorganisms. In the present study, 109 filamentous fungi were isolated from various spoiled dairy products and dairy production environments. The isolates were identified through sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. In spoiled products, Penicillium and Cladosporium were the most frequent genera of filamentous fungi and were also present in the dairy environment, indicating that they may represent a primary source of contamination. For dairy production environments, the most frequent genera were Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Nigrospora. Four species (Hypoxylon griseobrunneum, Rhinocladiella similis, Coniochaeta rosae, and Paecilomyces maximus) were identified for the first time in dairy products or in dairy production environment. Phytopathogenic genera were also detected, such as Montagnula, Clonostachys, and Riopa. One species isolated from the dairy production environment is classified as the pathogenic fungi, R. similis. Regarding the phylogeny, 14 different families were observed and most of the fungi belong to the Ascomycota phylum. The understanding of fungal biodiversity in dairy products and environment can support the development of conservation strategies to control food spoilage. This includes the suitable use of preservatives in dairy products, as well as the application of specific cleaning and sanitizing protocols designed for a specific group of target microorganisms.

Agro-Industrial Wastewaters for Algal Biomass Production, Bio-Based Products, and Biofuels in a Circular Bioeconomy

Recycling bioresources is the only way to sustainably meet a growing world population’s food and energy needs. One of the ways to do so is by using agro-industry wastewater to cultivate microalgae. While the industrial production of microalgae requires large volumes of water, existing agro-industry processes generate large volumes of wastewater with eutrophicating nutrients and organic carbon that must be removed before recycling the water back into the environment. Coupling these two processes can benefit the flourishing microalgal industry, which requires water, and the agro-industry, which could gain extra revenue by converting a waste stream into a bioproduct. Microalgal biomass can be used to produce energy, nutritional biomass, and specialty products. However, there are challenges to establishing stable and circular processes, from microalgae selection and adaptation to pretreating and reclaiming energy from residues. This review discusses the potential of agro-industry residues for microalgal production, with a particular interest in the composition and the use of important primary (raw) and secondary (digestate) effluents generated in large volumes: sugarcane vinasse, palm oil mill effluent, cassava processing waster, abattoir wastewater, dairy processing wastewater, and aquaculture wastewater. It also overviews recent examples of microalgae production in residues and aspects of process integration and possible products, avoiding xenobiotics and heavy metal recycling. As virtually all agro-industries have boilers emitting CO2 that microalgae can use, and many industries could benefit from anaerobic digestion to reclaim energy from the effluents before microalgal cultivation, the use of gaseous effluents is also discussed in the text.

Comparison of interaction, structure, and cell proliferation of α-lactalbumin-safflower yellow complex induced by microwave heating or conventional heating.

The protein-polyphenol interaction mechanism has always been a research hotspot, but their interaction is affected by heat treatment, which is widely applied in food processing. Moreover, the effects of microwave or water-bath heating on the protein-polyphenol interaction mechanism have been not clarified. The pasteurization condition (65 °C, 30 min) was selected to compare the effects of microwave or water bath on binding behavior, structure, and cell proliferation between α-lactalbumin (α-LA) and safflower yellow (SY), thus providing a guide for the selection of functional dairy processing conditions. Microwave heat treatment of α-LA-SY resulted in stronger fluorescence quenching than that of conventional heat treatment. Moreover, the binding constant Ka of all α-LA-SY samples was augmented significantly after microwave or water bath treatment, and microwave-heated α-LA-SY showed the maximum Ka . Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that microwave heating resulted in more ordered structures of α-LA into its disordered structures than water bath heating. However, the ferric reducing antioxidant power and chroma value of α-LA-SY were more reduced by microwave heating than by water bath heating. Moreover, microwave heating facilitated the cell proliferation of α-LA-SY compared with water bath treatment. It was demonstrated that microwave heating promoted interaction between α-LA and SY more than water bath heating did. Microwave heat treatment was a safe and effective way to enhance the binding affinity of α-LA to SY, being a potential application in food industry. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Changes in phosphorus turnover when soils under long-term P management are amended with bio-based fertiliser

Understanding available phosphorus (P) turnover could improve sustainable P management. An isotope tracing 33P was used to measure daily P turnover rates and exchangeable P (E) in P deficient, balanced, and excess P soils from a long-term P site. Turnover under P deficient conditions was characterised by the lowest P flux predominantly from the available into the exchangeable P pools (P efflux). The P efflux in the P deficient soil was 3.7 ± 0.6 mg P/L day−1 and the inverse flux (P influx) was 1.6 ± 0.4 mg P/L day−1. Turnover rates were more than twofold higher under P balanced and surplus conditions, exhibiting an equilibrium between influx and efflux rates. The contribution of abiotic processes to P turnover was predominant in the excess P soil, whereas biotic processes dominated turnover rates under P deficient conditions.Changes in P turnover were measured following application of single superphosphate (SSP) and dairy processing sludge (DPS). Both fertiliser types increased P turnover rates and availability across all soils. After SSP application, E values plateaued between 238 and 297 mg P/L regardless of initial P status. Slower P release from DPS was evidenced by a wider range of E values (97–160 mg P/L) with slower turnover.

Organic transformation, lactic acid metabolism, and membrane performance in high-rate methanogenic treatment of dairy processing wastewater using thermophilic high-solid anaerobic membrane bioreactor

Dairy processing wastewater (DPW) is an easily biodegradable substrate rich in lactic acid (LA) and native lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which can threaten the efficiency and stability of anaerobic treatment. This study introduced a high-solid anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) to explore methanogenic efficiency, metabolic processes, and membrane performance in DPW treatment. A high microbial concentration rapidly realized the highest organic loading rate (OLR) of 26.3 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L/d with a methane yield of 317.1 ± 5.2 mL/g COD. Mass balance showed 90.6 %–98.8 % COD of DPW transferred into methane at different OLRs. A syntropic bacterium of Tepidanaerobacter syntrophicus achieved over 4.5 g/L/d LA loading rate, with relative abundance increasing from 0.36 % to 4.06 %. LAB were gradually eliminated because of unfavorable environmental conditions and high OLR. High OLR regulated methanogenesis transformation from hydrogenotrophic to mixed hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic types. Lactic/acetic acid production was proposed as a central pathway in the metabolic process. Enhanced mixed liquor total solid concentration (20–50 g/L) limited membrane flux because of the exponentially increased sludge viscosity. Also, the colloidal particle percentage in the sludge increased from 3.5 % to 10.5 %, which promoted membrane fouling for pore blocking and cake/gel layer formation. Organic foulants dominated the membrane resistance and resulted from the high rejection efficiency of organic matter. This study showed a novel and effective approach to achieving high-rate treatment of DPW by high-solid AnMBR and provided significant guidance for the dairy industry in future wastewater treatment development.

THERMAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION DURING MILK PROCESSING IN A COMMERCIAL DAIRY PLANT: A CASE STUDY

Energy is important component of dairy industry. Dairy industry processing mainly based on heat transfer that’s required thermal energy. Thermal energy conservation in dairy plant means to develop a methodology to achieve energy saving to reduce energy costs in processing system. The aim of this study was to investigate consumption of thermal energy of market milk and dairy product per tone of product. The data was analyzed of a commercial dairy plant in January to march 2021.In dairy processing plant, steam was utilized in milk pasteurization, cream pasteurization, butter processing, ghee making, dahi making, butter milk thermization were found as 16.70, 26.60, 47.22, 540.0, 72.50 & 59.90 kg per 1000 kg product, respectively and corresponding thermal energy were45.1, 71.8, 127.9, 1458.0, 195.8 and 161.7 MJ per 1000 kg product processing. The average steam consumption of crate washing was reported as 84.3 kg steam per 1000 crate. The average refrigeration load requirement of dairy plant was found 172.9 TR and corresponding running cost of refrigeration unit was found Rs. 14.25 per TR per hour. The data of this case study was compared with previous study in interpretation of those results.

Identification of immunoglobulin E epitopes on major allergens from dairy products after digestion and transportation in vitro.

Dairy processing can alter the digestion stability and bioavailability of cow milk proteins in the gastrointestinal tract. However, analysis of stable linear epitopes on cow milk allergens that could enter into intestinal mucosal is limited. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the digestion and transportation properties and residual allergen epitopes entering into gastrointestinal mucosa of 3 commercial dairy products, including pasteurized milk (PM), ultra-heat-treated milk (UHTM), and dried skim milk (DSM). In this work, the digestive stability of the 3 kinds of dairy products has been performed in a standard multistep static digestion model in vitro and characterized by Tricine-SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and reversed-phase HPLC. With respect to gastrointestinal digestion in vitro, the main allergens including β-lactoglobulin (β-LG), α-lactalbumin (α-LA), and caseins were degraded gradually, and the resistance peptides remained in the PM with a molecular weight of range from 3.4 to 5.0 kDa. Simultaneously, the potential allergenicity of the cow milk proteins was diminished gradually and is basically consistent after 60 min of gastrointestinal digestion. After gastrointestinal digestion, the remaining peptides were transported via an Ussing chamber and identified by liquid chromatography-MS/MS. By alignment, 10 epitopes peptides were identified from 16 stable peptides, including 5 peptides (AA 92-100, 125-135, 125-138, and 149-162) in β-LG, 2 peptides in α-LA (AA 80-93 and 63-79), 2 peptides in αS1-casein (AA 84-90 and 125-132), and 1 peptide (AA 25-32) in αS2-casein were identified by dot-blotting mainly exist in UHTM and PM. This study demonstrates dairy processing can affect the digestion and transport characteristics of milk proteins and in turn alter epitope peptides release.

Struvite Production from Dairy Processing Waste

Food security depends on sustainable phosphorus (P) fertilisers, which at present are mostly supplied from a finite rock phosphate source. Phosphate (PO43−) and ammonium (NH4+) in dairy processing wastewater can be recovered as struvite (Mg + NH4+ + PO43− 6H20), a nutrient rich mineral for fertiliser application. The objectives of this study were to (1) quantify the effects of, pH, temperature and Mg: PO43− dosing rates on nutrient (PO43− and NH4+) removal and struvite precipitation from post anaerobic digested dairy processing wastewater, and (2) co-blend different dairy processing wastewaters to improve the reactant stoichiometry of NH4+ and PO43− for optimal struvite recovery and NH4+ removal. Phosphate removal (>90%) and struvite production (>60%) was achieved across a range of synthesis conditions, and was significantly impacted by pH as determined by response surface modelling. A combination of disproportionate molar ratios of PO43− and NH4+, presence of calcium and the apparent mineralisation of organic N, resulted in co-precipitation of hydroxyapatite and elevated levels of residual aqueous NH4+. In the second phase of this study, struvite was successfully precipitated and NH4+ removal was improved (~17%) however, higher concentrations of calcium in the wastewater blends resulted in greater hydroxyapatite co-precipitation (up to 30%). While struvite was the desired product in this study the formation of multiple heterogenous P-rich products (struvite and hydroxyapatite) has the potential to improve P recovery from dairy processing wastewaters and produce a fertiliser blend with amenity and value in agricultural systems.

Effect of biofilm formation by antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative bacteria in cold storage on survival in dairy processing lines

Antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative bacteria in dairy products can transfer antimicrobial resistance to gut microbiota in humans and can adversely impact the product quality. In this study, we aimed to investigate their distribution in dairy processing lines and evaluate biofilm formation and heat tolerance under dairy processing line-like conditions. Additionally, we compared the relative expression of general and heat stress-related genes as well as spoilage-related gene between biofilm and planktonic cells under consecutive stresses, similar to those in dairy processing lines. Most species of gram-negative bacteria isolated from five different dairy processing plants were resistant to one or more antimicrobials. Biofilm formation by the bacteria at 5 °C increased with the increase in exposure time. Moreover, cells in biofilms remained viable under heat treatment, whereas all planktonic cells of the selected strains died. The expression of heat-shock-related genes significantly increased with heat treatment in the biofilms but mostly decreased in the planktonic cells. Thus, biofilm formation under raw milk storage conditions may improve the tolerance of antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative bacteria to pasteurization, thereby increasing their persistence in dairy processing lines and products. Furthermore, the difference in response to heat stress between biofilm and planktonic cells may be attributed to the differential expression of heat stress-related genes. Therefore, this study contributes to the understanding of how gram-negative bacteria persist under consecutive stresses in dairy processing procedures and the potential mechanism underlying heat tolerance in biofilms.

Characterization of the core microflora and nutrient composition in packaged pasteurized milk products during storage

Pasteurized milk contains complex microbial communities affected by sterilization and storage conditions. This complex microflora may be the possible reason that pasteurized dairy products are highly prone to spoilage. In this study, packaged pasteurized milk products collected from dairy processing factories in China were stored at 0, 4, 10, 15, and 25 ºC for 0−15 days and subjected to microbial identification using high-throughput sequencing. Accordingly, 6 phyla and 44 genera were identified as the dominant microbiota. Moreover, the changes in nutritional composition of the pasteurized milk, including in 16 free amino acids, 7 taste values, and 8 chemical constituents, were analyzed using principal component and multi-factor analyses. The Pearson correlation analysis identified Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Paenibacillus, and Serratia genera as the core functional microbiota that significantly affects the nutritional composition of pasteurized milk. Hence, the results provide a comprehensive understanding of the safety and shelf-life of stored pasteurized milk.

Ultrasound assisted processing of milk: Advances and challenges

AbstractHigh‐intensity ultrasound (HIUS) is a green technology that has improved various processes in the food industry. HIUS leads to improved heat and mass transfer rates, providing a faster processing technique and limiting production costs by increasing process efficiency. In food processing, ultrasound is regarded as a promising emerging technology with the potential to speed up processes and produce high quality products. This article describes recent applications of power ultrasound for physical milk processing, mentions the advantage and disadvantages of this technology, evaluates the physical and chemical effects of HIUS on the modification of milk, and novel research areas leading to the promotion and solving the challenges ahead. It is concluded that HIUS is a useful tool for milk processing, because of its positive effects on the quality and retaining their initial nutritional properties and sensory characteristics. It can also be considered that the forthcoming research will lead to the improvement and industrialization of this technology.Practical ApplicationsAs a very important food item in the human diet, milk has very sensitive components that usually undergo undesirable changes during processing. Power ultrasound is an emerging green technology that has a great potential for application in dairy processing that can significantly reduce such unfavorable changes. It has been proven that ultrasound has an appropriate capability to accelerate processes, reduce energy consumption and increase productivity. This technology has been successfully used in pasteurization, homogenization, filtration, and drying of milk in laboratory scale. Ultrasound has a very high potential for industrialization in the dairy industry and draws a promising perspective for its conventional applications in the production of dairy products in the not‐too‐distant future.

A comparative study of thermally and chemically treated dairy waste: Impacts on soil phosphorus turnover and availability using 33P isotope dilution

Dairy processing sludge (DPS) and DPS-derived secondary products such as struvite, biochar, hydrochar and ash (collectively known as SRUBIAS) are emerging as alternatives to fertilizers produced from mined rock phosphate. However, little is known about how these products affect soil P availability and daily P turnover rates.. A lack of such information prevents precision nutrient management planning using these products out on farms. This study used a novel isotope dilution technique (IPD) with 33P as a tracer to compare P turnover in soils amended with chemically (alum-treated DPS and struvite) and thermally (biochar, hydrochar, ash) treated DPS. Results showed that thermally treated products exhibited poor agronomic performance as P fertilizers, potentially inhibiting P availability when applied to soils. For example, a P deficient soil amended with hydrochar treatment at the highest application rates did not record a build-up of available P to agronomic target values. In ash and biochar treated P deficient soils, available P increased but only with very high application rates of 150 and 80 mg P kg −1. The application of these products as fertilizers could have negative implications for both environmental and agronomic goals. Conversely, chemically treated fertilisers demonstrated better agronomic performance. The same agronomic target value was reached with application rates of only 20 mg P kg −1 soil for DPS and 50 mg P kg −1 soil for struvite. However, the techniques deployed revealed that these products exhibited slower rates of available and exchangeable P build-up when compared with chemical fertilisers. This suggests that these bio-based alternatives require higher application rates or earlier application times compared to conventional chemical fertilizers. Regulations providing advice on P use in agricultural soils need to account for slower P turnover in soils receiving recycled fertilizers. The IPD technique is transferrable to all wastes to examine their performance as fertilizers.

SWOT Analysis of Dairy Processing Supply Chain of JMF using Analytical Hierarchy Process

Background: Jharkhand State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (JMF) plays crucial role in processing of raw milk procured from the member-producers across the Jharkhand State and contributes to dairy development. The current study investigates the critical factors in JMF’s dairy supply chain, specifically the processing unit and offers an initial decision framework for its implications. Methods: To summarise the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the milk processing system in JMF, the necessary data were collected from dairy producer members, including dairy farmers, executives and key informants of processing units. This includes identifying the dairy industry’s objectives as well as the internal and external critical factors (CFs). Because SWOT analysis provides no investigative basis for evaluating the priorities of CFs, the analytic hierarchy process is used to define the priorities of identified CFs. The CFs have also been sorted in the order of importance. Result: The findings of this study show that fully computerised system with self-automation facilities; high operational cost for processing liquid milk; development of new product and value addition; high labour cost or shortage of labour are the major strength, weakness, opportunity and threat of JMF, respectively. Further, the SWOT-based methodology provides critical sensitivity in assessing supply chain strategies for the dairy cooperative like JMF.