Dairy Processing Research Articles

Brain-immune-gut benefits with early life supplementation of milk fat globule membrane.

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) has been recognized as a milk component for more than 60 years, but its exact benefits remain unknown. Research on human MFGM has revealed that the membrane holds a host of bioactive components with potential benefits for the brain–immune–gut (BiG) axis in early life. Gangliosides and sphingomyelin, components within the MFGM, have been included in infant formulas for many years. Recent advancements in dairy milk processing have allowed the successful separation of MFGM from bovine milk, enabling it to be used for supplementing infant formulas. Evidence indicates the potential benefits of MFGM in early life supplementation, including better cognitive development, reduction of infection risks, and modulation of the gut microbiome. However, larger and more robust randomized trials are needed, in addition to long‐term outcome data beyond the infancy period.

A multi-stakeholder participatory pilot study of the data demands of the future Ethiopian dairy sector

Background: This paper describes a pilot study undertaken in 2018, to determine the key data needs of each of the different Ethiopian dairy sector stakeholder groups. The study aimed to characterise the emerging trends of dairy product production, processing, retailing and consumption in Ethiopia, and to identify and characterise current and future data needs of different stakeholders. Methods: The study undertook a mapping of the interactions between different stakeholders in the dairy sector, and an interactive evaluation of the institutional data repository and access options. Focus group discussions and interviews were held in three regions of the country prior to a two-day workshop in the capital Addis Ababa. Data needs were characterised by type, availability, format, level of detail, methods of dissemination, uptake and use, and the institutional arrangement, including the different roles of public and private sectors in decision making processes. Results: The study highlighted the main data needs and identified several broader institutional issues constraining the further development of the Ethiopian dairy sector. The stakeholder groups endorsed the reactivation of a national dairy board, independent of government but closely incorporating government, and with the buy-in and membership of private sector enterprises, including producers, processers, service providers and consumers, to provide clearer facilitative leadership on the dairy industry. Conclusions: The study workshop provided a timely discussion between diverse stakeholders, including government, and several potential organisations were suggested to host and manage a national dairy database. Importantly, the reactivation of a national dairy board was strongly endorsed. It was recommended that stakeholder links be established, sector-specific data needs be elevated to higher detail, and a national roll out of herd-specific data recording schemes was called for, to allow for effective evidence-based policies and decision making.

Application of Enzymes in Dairy Processing Industry: A Review

Abstract: Enzymes are proteins and bio-catalysts. They are responsible for initiating a specific response to a specific outcome. In the dairy industry, numerous enzymes are used, such as rennet and proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes are used for the coagulation and ripening of cheese. Enzymes are also used to increase the nutritional value of dairy products to alleviate the state of malnutrition. This review paper converges on the utilization of different enzymes in the dairy processing industry.

A multi-stakeholder participatory pilot study of the data demands of the future Ethiopian dairy sector

Background: This paper describes a pilot study undertaken in 2018, to determine the key data needs of each of the different Ethiopian dairy sector stakeholder groups. The study aimed to characterise the emerging trends of dairy product production, processing, retailing and consumption in Ethiopia, and to identify and characterise current and future data needs of different stakeholders. Methods: The study undertook a mapping of the interactions between different stakeholders in the dairy sector, and an interactive evaluation of the institutional data repository and access options. Focus group discussions and interviews were held in three regions of the country prior to a two-day workshop in the capital Addis Ababa. Data needs were characterised by type, availability, format, level of detail, methods of dissemination, uptake and use, and the institutional arrangement, including the different roles of public and private sectors in decision making processes. Results: The study highlighted the main data needs and identified several broader institutional issues constraining the further development of the Ethiopian dairy sector. The stakeholder groups endorsed the reactivation of a national dairy board, independent of government but closely incorporating government, and with the buy-in and membership of private sector enterprises, including producers, processers, service providers and consumers, to provide clearer facilitative leadership on the dairy industry. Conclusions: The study workshop provided a timely discussion between diverse stakeholders, including government, and several potential organisations were suggested to host and manage a national dairy database. Importantly, the reactivation of a national dairy board was strongly endorsed. It was recommended that stakeholder links be established, sector-specific data needs be elevated to higher detail, and a national roll out of herd-specific data recording schemes was called for, to allow for effective evidence-based policies and decision making.

Single-molecule real-time sequencing reveals differences in bacterial diversity in raw milk in different regions and seasons in China

The quality of raw milk is a key factor influencing the whole dairy processing chain. The richness and diversity of bacteria in raw milk affect its quality and safety. However, traditional microbial detection methods mainly depend on the known microbe culture and are often time consuming. Thus, the development of efficient ways for supervising any possible microbiological contamination is desiderated. In the current work, single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing, developed by Pacific Biosciences (PacBio), was applied to acquire long reads and applied for discrimination of bacteria at species level. Forty samples of raw milk obtained from Beijing, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, and Guangdong in China during summer, autumn, and winter were investigated. Among 35 bacteria species identified in these samples, Acinetobacter albensis, Pseudomonas gessardii, Pseudomonas weihenstephanensis, and Rahnella inusitata were the bacteria with the highest relative abundance in the overall sample, whereas the bacteria with the highest relative abundance in raw milk samples of different origins and seasons are different. Significant differences in bacterial richness and bacterial community diversity in raw milk grouped according to different production areas and different sampling seasons were confirmed by Welch's t-test. Interestingly, the transport distance and transport time positively correlated with the relative abundance of Pseudomonas weihenstephanensis, suggesting that the content of this bacteria was expected to be a standard for evaluating the freshness of raw milk. Pathogens Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were detected in most samples, indicating that the raw milk was at risk of contamination by pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, the findings of this study provide important evidence for quality and safety monitoring and biological control of raw milk.

A typology of smallholder livestock production systems reflecting the impact of the development of a local milk collection industry: Case study of Fatick region, Senegal

Senegal is a country where millions of livelihoods directly depend on smallholder livestock production activities. Unfortunately, these farmers now face the effects of a changing climate and associated societal responses. In addition, the lack of understanding of the specific farmers’ problems in their respective production systems by assuming homogeneity has led to inappropriate planning of interventions and inefficient utilization of resources. The variations in individual farming systems and local contexts require to understand each system separately to inform decision-makers and relevant stakeholders about specific entries of intervention for farmers based on customized needs. Using a Fatick region case study, different statistical clustering techniques were adopted to develop a livestock typology that reflects the above realities. This typology confirmed the co-existence of three livestock production cluster systems with differences and similarities in their production targets and quantities, market access, animal breeds, and the livestock management system of the animals. The studied region represented a new format of smallholder livestock development, where the implementation of a dairy processor and its milk collection centre created a new dynamic in production activities. Farmers confirmed that the extension services and a consistent market opportunity provided by the dairy processor increased local productivity and offered an alternative source of income but they have also reiterated concerns like the dairy processor’s low milk buying prices which need to be addressed. To harness the growth and the regional opportunities, there is a need to establish robust and continuous collaboration structures between the Government, agro-industries, and producers. These public-private partnerships will help producers lower the cost of inputs and services and increase productivity while boosting local dairy production.

Fluoride-contaminated water remediation using biochar derived from dairy processing sludge

Seeking a technically reliable disposal platform for milk sludge has drawn particular concern considering its hazardous potential to our environment. Milk sludge from the dissolved air flotation process has abundant calcium because of the naturally available calcium in milk and lime addition as a coagulant. No previous study on its ability to remove fluoride based on its abundant calcium has been reported. As a strategic measure to minimize the environmental impacts, milk sludge was pyrolyzed. Milk sludge biochar was used as an adsorbent to remove fluoride from water. To delineate the close relationships between the fluoride removal capacity and the physico-chemical properties of biochar, milk sludge biochar was fabricated at the temperature range from 500 to 800 ˚C. In an effort to align the experimental/theoretical data, adsorption kinetics, isotherms, column studies, and equilibrium modelling using visual MINTEQ 3.1 were conducted. In addition, milk sludge biochar was characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Biochar fabricated at 800 °C (MS800) exhibited the highest fluoride removal capacity of 485.9 mg/g. Only MS800 mainly composed highly soluble Ca(OH)2 while the other temperature-prepared biochar mainly composed of less soluble CaCO3. Consequently, MS800 is providing more Ca2+ to the system. At the equilibrium, MS800 releases Ca2+ ∼200 mg/g into water within 24 h. X-ray diffraction of the spent biochar shows that fluoride was removed by forming a CaF2 precipitation. All experimental findings of this study confirmed that milk sludge converted into a value-added, efficient environmental media to remediate fluoride-contaminated wastewater.

Construction and analysis of a food-grade Lactiplantibacillus plantarum esterase/lipase overexpression system

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) is widely used in the food industry, especially in meat fermentation and dairy processing, due to its lipase and esterase activities. In this study, lp_1002 from L. plantarum WCFS1 was cloned into the food-grade gene expression vector pMG36n, with nisin used as a selective marker. Furthermore, pMG36n- lp_1002 was retransformed into L. plantarum WCFS1, and lp_1002 was overexpressed in the newly constructed L. plantarum WCFS1 strain. Moreover, recombinant Lp_1002 showed the characteristics of both lipase and esterase. The results from hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylphosphate (pNPP) and triglycerides showed that the hydrolysis activities of the recombinant Lp_1002 were 420% and 360% higher than that of the original strain, respectively. In addition, the results of wine MLF fermentation suggest that the recombinant strain significantly reduced the contents of ethyl esters, acetate esters and other types of esters, which affected wine aroma during brewing. Therefore, the recombinant strain has great application potential in food fermentation.

Positive effects of thermosonication in Jamun fruit dairy dessert processing

The effects of thermosonication processing (TS, 90 °C, ultrasound powers of 200, 400, and 600 W) on the quality parameters of Jamun fruit dairy dessert compared to conventional heating processing (high-temperature short time, (HTST), 90 °C/20 s) were evaluated. Microbiological inactivation and stability, rheological parameters, physical properties, volatile and fatty acid profiles, and bioactive compounds were assessed. TS provided more significant microbial inactivation (1 log CFU mL−1) and higher microbial stability during storage (21 days) than HTST, with 3, 2, and 2.8 log CFU mL−1 lower counts for yeasts and molds, aerobic mesophilic bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria, respectively. In addition, TS-treated samples showed higher anti-hypertensive (>39%), antioxidant (>33%), and anti-diabetic (>27%) activities, a higher concentration of phenolic compounds (>22%), preservation of anthocyanins, and better digestibility due to the smaller fat droplet size (observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy). Furthermore, lower TS powers (200 W) improved the fatty acid (higher monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid contents, 52.78 and 132.24%) and volatile (higher number of terpenes, n = 5) profiles and decreased the atherogenic index. On the other hand, higher TS powers (600 W) maintained the rheological parameters of the control product and contributed more significantly to the functional properties of the products (antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, and anti-diabetic). In conclusion, TS proved to be efficient in treating Jamun fruit dairy dessert, opening space for new studies to define process parameters and expand TS application in other food matrices.

Cardioprotective Peptides from Milk Processing and Dairy Products: From Bioactivity to Final Products including Commercialization and Legislation.

Recent research has revealed the potential of peptides derived from dairy products preventing cardiovascular disorders, one of the main causes of death worldwide. This review provides an overview of the main cardioprotective effects (assayed in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo) of bioactive peptides derived from different dairy processing methods (fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis) and dairy products (yogurt, cheese, and kefir), as well as the beneficial or detrimental effects of the process of gastrointestinal digestion following oral consumption on the biological activities of dairy-derived peptides. The main literature available on the structure–function relationship of dairy bioactive peptides, such as molecular docking and quantitative structure–activity relationships, and their allergenicity and toxicity will also be covered together with the main legislative frameworks governing the commercialization of these compounds. The current products and companies currently commercializing their products as a source of bioactive peptides will also be summarized, emphasizing the main challenges and opportunities for the industrial exploitation of dairy bioactive peptides in the market of functional food and nutraceuticals.

The application of Failure Mode Effects Analysis in the long supply chain – A case study of ultra filtrated milk cheese

A long food supply chain is a complex food path from producer to consumer in which multiple participants are involved, and in which various failures for both food safety and food quality can be identified. The purpose of this study was to apply the Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) technique to analyze various aspects of industrial production of cheeses produced from ultra-filtered milk (UF cheeses). Data were obtained from three dairy farms, three big dairy companies, and three trade organizations located in Serbia. Risk Priority Numbers (RPN) were calculated to rank the risk of failures identified at each production step. The obtained results showed that the greatest risks are related to the production at the dairy farms as well as the reception of raw milk at dairy processing plants, being failures that are not noticed at the primary production step. They have been covered by dairies implemented HACCP based food safety management system, which significantly reduces the risk level. The applied FMEA methodology indicates the importance of preventive food safety measures within the whole chain. Also the role of the state in improving the quality of raw milk should be emphasized. The results of this study can be used to improve the status of dairy farms in terms of animal health and welfare, but also for the identification and assessment of most common failures at dairy processing plants, and transportation and cold storage phase during retail.

Development of Whey Beverage by using Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) Pulp

Background: In the present study, whey beverage was prepared by using paneer whey obtained from buffalo milk incorporated with Barka (soft flesh) type jackfruit pulp at different levels @ 5, 10, 15 and 20 per cent and sugar were added @ 10 per cent of whey for all treatments. Methods: Jackfruit pulp whey beverage was prepared in dairy processing laboratory under hygienic condition with slight modification in reported methodology. Result: From the results of the present investigation, it may be concluded that jackfruit pulp could be successfully utilized for the preparation of whey beverages. The addition of jackfruit pulp in whey beverage improved the sensory quality and overall acceptability of the finished product. The most acceptable quality was found in whey beverage prepared by incorporated jackfruit pulp @ 15 per cent (T3) scored highest points (8.52) and whey beverage contained total solids, fat, protein, titratable acidity and pH as 16.56, 0.29, 0.60, 0.22 per cent and 5.00, respectively. The overall score for treatment T2 and T4 was almost the same i.e., 7.82 and 7.83, respectively which indicates that the overall acceptability of the beverage at these treatments was equally good. The lowest score was recorded in treatment T1 i.e., whey beverage prepared with 5 per cent jackfruit pulp (7.76). The differences in scores possessed by all the treatments were highly significant.

A pilot study of the data demands of different stakeholders for the future Ethiopian dairy sector

Background: This paper describes a pilot study undertaken in 2018, to determine the key data needs of each of the different Ethiopian dairy sector stakeholder groups. The study aimed to characterise the emerging trends of dairy product production, processing, retailing and consumption in Ethiopia, and to identify and characterise current and future data needs of different stakeholders. Methods: The study undertook a mapping of the interactions between different stakeholders in the dairy sector, and an interactive evaluation of the institutional data repository and access options. Focus group discussions and interviews were held in three regions of the country prior to a two-day workshop in the capital Addis Ababa. Data needs were characterised by type, availability, format, level of detail, methods of dissemination, uptake and use, and the institutional arrangement, including the different roles of public and private sectors in decision making processes. Results: The study highlighted the main data needs and identified several broader institutional issues constraining the further development of the Ethiopian dairy sector. The stakeholder groups endorsed the reactivation of a national dairy board, independent of government but closely incorporating government, and with the buy-in and membership of private sector enterprises, including producers, processers, service providers and consumers, to provide clearer facilitative leadership on the dairy industry. Conclusions: The study workshop provided a timely discussion between diverse stakeholders, including government, and several potential organisations were suggested to host and manage a national dairy database. Importantly, the reactivation of a national dairy board was strongly endorsed. It was recommended that stakeholder links be established, sector-specific data needs be elevated to higher detail, and a national roll out of herd-specific data recording schemes was called for, to allow for effective evidence-based policies and decision making.

UV spectroscopy as a quantitative monitoring tool in a dairy side-stream fractionation process

In this work, we investigate the feasibility of multi-wavelength ultra-violet spectroscopy for the quantification of β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin in ultrafiltration permeates from protein fractionation processes. Spectra from solutions of pure proteins were compared and distinctive characteristics for the two proteins were identified. Subsequently, two different calibration approaches were tested to overcome the “cage of covariance” that is inherent in protein fractionation and up-concentration processes. Selection of wavelength regions allowed for the prediction of the β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin concentration with high precision and accuracy, reaching a root mean square error of cross-validation of 0.26 w/w% (concentration range 0–10 w/w%∗∗Concentration values of α-la and β-lg in this work have been arbitrarily, independently and linearly scaled away from the true value for confidentiality reasons.) protein for α-lactalbumin and 0.11 w/w% (0–10 w/w%) protein for β-lactoglobulin. This proves the potential of the methods developed for implementation as rapid monitoring of protein composition in permeates from ultrafiltration processes. The developed Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression models were used to predict protein composition in a continuous mode during two lab-scale filtration experiments. The results obtained show that UV spectroscopy can be used, along with tailored chemometrics techniques, for monitoring protein composition in protein fractionation processes both at-line and potentially in-line.

The Effectiveness of Plantaricin IIA-1A5 Powder Application to Extend the Storage of Fresh Cow’s Milk

Abstract Bacteriocins are peptides that have antimicrobial activity that are non-toxic, non-allergenic, heat-resistant and have broad bactericidal activity. Bacteriocin that has been declared safe by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and has been widely used in the food industry is nisin, which is mainly used in fruit products, dairy and meat processing industries. Bacteriocin from L. plantarum IIA-1A5 called plantarcin IIA-1A5, using whey growth media enriched with skim milk, has effectiveness as an antimicrobial against pathogenic bacteria E. coli and S. aureus. In this study, the application of plantaricin IIA-1A5 was conducted for fresh cow’s milk products from dairy cows on smallholder farms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of plantarcin IIA-1A5 powder using a certain dose to extend the storage period of fresh cow’s milk. Plantaricin IIA-1A5 powder was prepared with M1 concentration level of 5.58 g mL-1 and M2 concentration 11.17 g mL-1, then stored at frozen temperature. Nisin as a positive control was prepared at 11.17 g mL-1. Fresh milk that has been given treatment is then stored at room temperature for up to 6 hours and observed every 2 hours, namely at 0, 2, 4, and 6 hours of room temperature storage. The result showed that physicochemical quality of fresh milk did not change during treatments. Plantarisin IIA-1A5 was able to suppress the growth of total microbes at room temperature for two hours. The dose of plantaricin IIA-1A5 is effective for use in smallholder dairy farms or using non-cooled dairy machines at concentration of 11.17 g mL-1.

Environmental analysis of Chlorella vulgaris cultivation in large scale closed system under waste nutrient source

• Upscaled of Chlorella vulgaris cultures for commercial production. • Cleaning and maintenance facilities for photobioreactors were added. • Life cycle assessment, LCA was used to upscaled the growth parameters. • A cradle to gate LCA approach was used to build the cultivation route. • The optimal cultivation path was re-cycling the medium after harvesting. Scaling up algal cultures to large volumes for commercial production is a challenging task that involves high capital and operating cost. Hence, the feasibility of a laboratory scale culture process is important to be tested, before expanding the production. This study aims to investigate the scaling up of Chlorella vulgaris , FSP-E cultivation by discovering the best culture pathway using life cycle assessment, LCA. The study also emphasize on the techniques that can be used in large-scale algal operations, for photo-bioreactor cleaning and maintenance. Culture mediums plays a significant role in overall costing for microalgae growth processes, and their supply were addressed during the scaling up cultivation systems in terms of flow mixing, pipeline costing. Cradle to gate LCA technique was used in this study considering every phase in the lifecycle, starting from culture medium, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), air, and water supplies for microalgae growth till end-product dried biomass generation, including storage. Three growth media applications were compared between (1) BG-11, a chemical-based medium; (2) a combination of biscuit waste from a dairy processing facility with BG-11; and (3) re-cycling of Path 2′s residual culture medium after harvesting. The results indicated that recycling of remaining culture water obtained from dried biomass back into the photo-bioreactor was identified to be the most sustainable Chlorella vulgaris production process that can be considered for a commercial facility for bio-fuel production.

OPTIMIZATION OF QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF DAILY GOAT BUSINESS GROUP IN BLIMBING VILLAGE, REJOTANGAN DISTRICT, TULUNGAGUNG REGENCY THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

"Karya Putra Mandiri" Livestock Farmer Group and "Makmur Sentosa" Livestock Group, Kec. Rejotangan Kab. Tulungagung is a foster partner of the Unair FKH Community Service Team. A common problem for breeders and administrators of the "Karya Putra Mandiri" Livestock Farmer Group and "Makmur Sentosa" Livestock Group, Kec. Rejotangan Kab. Tulungagung is a problem in production, among others are reproductive disorders, low pregnancy rates, low productivity in their dairy goats. The solution offered is to increase the skills and knowledge of dairy goat farmers in the "Karya Putra Mandiri" and "Makmur Sentosa" livestock groups on how to handle reproductive cases through synchronization of lust. Another problem is the "Karya Putra Mandiri" Livestock Farmer Group and the "Makmur Sentosa" Livestock Group, Kec. Rejotangan Kab. Tulungagung is a management problem. The solution offered is to increase the knowledge and assistance of dairy goat farmers in the “Karya Putra Mandiri” and “Makmur Sentosa” livestock groups in dairy goat milk processing, packaging and product licensing. The method used in the implementation of this community service activity is by; (1) Development and training stage; (2) Monitoring and evaluation stage. To evaluate the level of knowledge and understanding of the material given, pretest and posttest are given. This Community Service program activity was carried out from March to October 2018. Extension activities and training on Laserpuncture and Sexual Synchronization Technology were carried out using the tutorial method, then continued with discussions. The implementation of this Community Service Activity requires a budget of 30 million rupiah which is planned to be used in several posts including for equipment, consumables, travel, accommodation, and others.

AGRIBUSINESS RISK OF DAIRY FARMER COOPERATIVE (CASE STUDY: BOGOR DAIRY PRODUCTION AND LIVESTOCK BUSINESS COOPERATIVE)

KPS-Bogor is one of the largest dairy cooperatives in Indonesia. The cooperativeconsists of 127 active farmers, produces an average of 78.8 liters of milk/person/day. However, the quantity and quality of milk produced is very volatile which causes fluctuations in the income of dairy farmers. Considered the role of cooperative to agricultural development, and its unique nature, risk analysis research is an interesting yet rarely conducted. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to analyze the agribusiness risks faced by the KPS-Bogor, and to analyze risk priorities faced by the KPS-Bogor. This research is a qualitative research, using Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Fishbone Diagram. The study results show that the cooperative faces 6 sources of risk that have the potential to cause losses , namely production risk (bacteria and the absence of SOPs for farming method), market risk (Dairy Processing Industry’s (DPI) market structure), financial risk (delayed payment of its member’s debt), legal risk (GMP standardization is not yet implemented), and human resource risk (low commitment of the workers). FMEA and Fishbone Diagram show that the low commitment of the workers, the absence of farming SOP, and the DPI market structure are the most risky sources which have highest level of severity, occurrence and detection that can cause losses to KPS-Bogor. Unussualy, this research found human resource risk valued higher than the production risk factor, which mainly become the main risk source in agricultural business.

Optimizing accuracy of measurement protocols for nitrogen application in dilute dairy manure

Variability of dairy process wastewater (PWW) nitrogen (PWW-N) content makes precise fertilizing of forage challenging. Our objective was to improve measurement accuracy of PWW-N. We characterized PWW-N and quantified its variability using over 1,000 PWW samples from 91 lagoons on commercial California dairies. We used statistical modeling and stochastic simulations to compare the accuracy of various protocols for measuring PWW-N applied to forage crops. Electrical conductivity (EC) was positively correlated with N concentration within a lagoon (conditional R2 =.69, mixed model). Simulations compared the accuracy of N application rates when lagoon samples for N analyses were collected more frequently and from more homogeneous lagoons. When sampled quarterly, the N application measurement error was ±50%. Homogenizing PWW and sampling weekly reduced measurement error to ±42 and ±30%, respectively. Simulations using EC as an N concentration proxy within an automated irrigation system reduced N application measurement error to ±5%. More accurate automated N concentration measurements allow for precision N management that meets yield goals and reduces environmental effects.

Use of Solar Energy for Energy Savings in Dairy Processing Industry

Due to increase in population, there is a large demand for electricity in India and it is difficult to supply this required energy from conventional energy resources because of environmental constraints and scarcity of resources. The best alternative is to generate electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind which are environmentally friendly and freely available in nature. Indian government is providing subsidies, in order to encourage the electricity generation from solar. According to the Ministry of new and renewable energy Government of India, Dairy industry is suggested as one of the most suitable industrial areas for the commercialization of solar energy. Major developments in this field will however take a long time to reach a commercially feasible level. Dairies have considerable advantages in that as they are high energy users with a relatively constant demand for electricity throughout the year. The use of solar energy which is more adaptable to the dairy can be effectively and directly utilized as alternative and supplement to the existing energy supply. In this paper study is carried out to find the opportunities for electrical energy generation from solar in dairy processing unit. [1] Keywords: Solar, Rooftop photovoltaic, PV system Design.