MILK PLATFORM TESTING

Food Analysis Laboratory

Eduardo Gastelbondo Berrio

Teacher:
Lucía Oviedo Argumedo

University of Córdoba
Faculty of Engineering
Food Engineering Program

2018-ll
 PLATFORM TESTS

The quality of commercial milk and its derivatives produced in an industry

dairy depends directly on the quality of the original product or raw material,
originating from the production areas and the transportation conditions,
conservation and handling in general up to the plant. Therefore, success and good
name of the industry and ultimately the quality of the product that arrives at
consumer, depends on the control that is exercised over raw milk.
Platform tests specifically in dairy serve as a criterion for
determination of milk quality and the result translates into the price at which
The milk is being paid for. The number of platform tests in the milk is very
varied. However, the more tests are conducted, the more information there will be.
available and therefore the criterion will have to be more accurate for the destination of
that milk.
An important factor in the execution of platform tests is time, the
availability of information is decisive to establish if the milk is accepted,
it is rejected or an agreement is reached with the producer on the price, in the event of being
necessary.
The platform testing report should provide initial insights on the
Acidez
totals, specific weight, alcohol tests, antibiotics, carbonates, peroxides
etc.

I. Spring Tests (Platform)

Within this group are the determination of temperature, characters
organoleptic, specific weight and lactofiltration.

A. Temperature
Raw milk must be delivered to the plant within the first 2 hours that follow.
the milking to prevent the rapid growth of bacteria that causes the decrease
due to its quality and its rapid decomposition. Otherwise, the milk must be refrigerated.
quickly after of milking and keeping it between 0-5 °C until its
processing. The determination of the temperature of raw milk when being
delivered to the plant is therefore a good sign
B. Organoleptic Characteristics
Texture: Milk has a viscosity of 1.5 to 2.0 centipoise at 20 °C.
slightly higher than water (1.005 cp). This viscosity can be altered
 for the development of certain microorganisms capable of producing
polysaccharides that by the action of binding water increase the viscosity of the
milk (mastitic milk, spinning milk).
Color: the normal color of milk is white, which is attributed to reflection of
the light through the particles of the casein-phosphate-calcium complex in suspension
colloidal and by the fat globules in emulsion. Those milks that have
partially or totally skimmed or that have been adulterated with water,
they present a white color with a bluish tint. The retention milks or
Mastitis presents a grayish-yellow color. A pink color can be the
result of the presence of blood or growth of certain
microorganisms. Other colors (yellow, blue, etc.) can be the result of
pollution with colored substances or the growth of certain
microorganisms. Milk adulterated with whey from cheese can
acquire a yellow-green coloring due to the presence of riboflavin.
The taste: the natural flavor of milk is hard to define, it is usually not
not acidic or bitter, but rather slightly sweet due to its content in
lactose. A sometimes it presents with a certain salty flavor due to the high
chloride concentration in cow's milk that is found at
end of the lactation period or suffering from infectious states of the udder
(mastitis); other times the taste is sour. But in general, the taste
Regular fresh milk is pleasant and can be described simply.
as characteristic.
Smell: the smell of milk is also characteristic and is due to the presence of
volatile organic compounds of low molecular weight, among them, acids,
aldehydes, ketones and traces of methyl sulfate. The milk I was able to acquire, with
certain ease of strange flavors or odors, derived from certain foods
consumed by the cow before milking, of a substance with a penetrating smell or
metal surfaces with which it has been in contact or changes
chemical or microbiological changes that the product may experience during its
manipulation.
At the plant level, the observation of the organoleptic characteristics of milk
it constitutes a platform test that allows the segregation of milks from
worse quality. The most common technique consists of smelling the contents of a container.
immediately after being unveiled. There are good people
trained that through this test can detect milks that have been poorly
refrigerated, that have been in contact with dirty utensils and even milks
mastitis.

C. Lactofiltration
The lactofiltering or sedimentation test aims to establish the presence
of foreign substances in the milk, which in addition to being unacceptable in a
product of good quality, they indicate that it has been produced or processed under
inadequate cleaning and sanitation conditions that sometimes cannot
determined by microbiological methods. It consists of filtering a certain amount
from the residue with a series of pattern discs prepared with known amounts
of sediment, or with photographic patterns.
Through this test, it is possible to establish the presence of impurities that have
fallen into the milk during milking and/or handling until the plant, derived from
stable, milking utensils, means of transport and storage, such as
hairs, excrement, plant fragments, metal, soil, insects or their parts,
etc.; which are separated by filtration and can be observed with the naked eye or with
help from a magnifying glass.

The indicative value of this test, however, cannot be considered absolute already
that the absence of sediment in the milk does not necessarily indicate that it has been
produced and handled under good sanitary conditions, as the sediment
can be removed beforehand by filtration or clarification. Consequently, this
test must be complemented with periodic inspections of the farms or
processing plants in order to verify the production conditions or
processing. Currently, this determination is rarely used as it is
common practice at the production unit level to filter the milk immediately
after milking or before transferring it to the storage tanks.
Procedure:
Analyze each of the assigned samples as follows:
Place a cotton disk in the sedimentator.
[Link] the sample very well to achieve its homogeneity and make it
pass through the disk using a technique consistent with the type of
employed sedimentation tank.

[Link] the disk from the device, dry it in a glass desiccator and
mount it in the small envelope of waxed transparent paper of a
special card to register results. The residual milk acts as
adhesive.
[Link] the obtained disk with the photographic patterns or with
patterns prepared using known quantities of sediment.
[Link] the results obtained for each sample.

II. Lactometric Test (Specific Weight)

Milk has a specific weight of 1.028 to 1.034 or 28 to 34 °Q that varies.
considerably with the fat content and total solids; thus, milk
Skimmed milk has a higher density (1.034 - 1.036). A lactometer allows for
so much to make approximate determinations in the production areas, in the
receiver or in the laboratory, and detect adulterations of the original milk by
separation of fat, by addition of skim milk or water. Similarly
allows for an approximate calculation of the content of non-fat solids based on the
percentage content of fat and the corrected lactometric reading for the factor
temperature. It is worth remembering that the specific weight of milk should not
to be determined just after being milked, but rather after 4 hours, since after the
extraction she undergoes a process of contraction and increase in specific weight
until it stabilizes.

Procedure:
Cool the assigned sample to a temperature below 15 °C and
transfer it to a 500 mL graduated cylinder, avoiding the formation of
bubbles.
2. Introduce the lactometer into the sample, allowing it to float freely for 30
seconds, taking care that it does not stick to the walls of the
container and that no bubbles remain on the surface of the liquid.
3. Take the lactometric reading when the thermometer of the device
mark exactly the calibration temperature of the lactometer (60 °F or
15.6 °C) and reading the division of the highest scale reached by the meniscus
from the milk.
4. In case the reading is taken at a different temperature than
the lactometer graduation must make the corresponding corrections
using special tables, or using the conversion factor of ± 0.2
°Q, for each degree that the measurement temperature differs from the temperature
calibration of the lactometer.
5. Convert the lactometric reading to specific weight and report it
obtained results.

III. Tittable Acidity

Fresh milk has a titratable acidity equivalent to 13 to 20 mL of 0.1 NaOH.
N/100 mL (0.12 - 0.18% lactic acid) due to its anhydride content.
carbonic, proteins, and some ions like phosphate, citrate, etc. Normally the
milk does not contain lactic acid; however, due to bacterial action, lactose undergoes
a fermentation process forming lactic acid and other components that
total acidity increases. Hence, this determination represents valuable
information about the sanitary quality of the product.

Procedure:
1. Measure 20 mL of the homogeneous sample at 20 °C, transfer it to a
Erlenmeyer of 250 mL and dilute with 40 mL of CO2-free water.
COVENIN specifies 10 mL of the prepared sample at 20°C in a vial of
125 mL.
 2. Add 2 mL of the phenolphthalein indicator solution.
3. Titrant with NaOH solution 0.1 N, placed in a burette, up to
the appearance of the first lasting pink dye for 30 seconds.
[Link] the acidity of the sample in terms of mL NaOH 0.1 N per
100 mL, in percentage of lactic acid, in Soxhlet degrees - Kenkel and
in Dornic degrees.

IV. pH Determination
The normal pH of fresh milk is 6.5 - 6.7. Higher values are generally
they are observed in mastitic milk, while lower values indicate
presence of colostrum or bacterial decomposition.
The determination of the pH of milk can be done by a colorimetric method.
using indicators, but it turns out to be inaccurate due to the opacity of the milk that
it interferes with color reading and also because it only provides approximate values.
The most suitable method is the electrometric method using a glass electrode.
in combination with a reference electrode. The potential is measured directly
in terms of pH on the scale of a potentiometer calibrated with a solution
known pH buffer.
Procedure:
1. Prepare the potentiometer according to the device's instructions and
calibrating with the buffer solution of known pH.
2. Adjust the temperature control of the device to the temperature of the sample.
3. Measure the pH and record the results

V. Alcohol Test (protein stability reaction)

As previously indicated, fresh milk has an acidity of 13 - 20.
mL of 0.1 N NaOH/100 mL and a pH of 6.5 - 6.7. Higher values of acidity,
The consequent decrease in pH is generally due to decomposition.
bacteria characteristic of low-quality milk. This condition can be demonstrated
mixing the milk with an equal volume of 72° ethanol, since the alcohol at that
concentration produces flocculation or coagulation of the product when the acidity is
equal to or greater than 22.5 mL NaOH 0.1 N/100 mL. A positive alcohol test
also indicates low stability of milk to heat, which is very important if
the product must be pasteurized or sterilized. This test is also useful for
the detection of abnormal milk such as colostrum or milk with alterations in the
salt balance, which makes them more susceptible to freezing; but in this
In a sense, it is not a reliable test.
Procedure:
1. In a test tube, place 5 mL of the homogeneous sample and 5 mL of
70° ethanol. Cover the tube.
2. Gently mix the liquids by inverting the tube 2 or 3 times, without shaking.
3. Observe the backlight and tilt the tube in various directions to see if it has occurred
flocculation or coagulation of the mixture. Take note of the observations.

VI. Methylene Blue Reduction Time

This test has been wrongly called 'reductase' when in fact this enzyme does not
intervenes in it. The true principle is the following: the oxide potential-
The reduction (Eh) of aerated fresh milk is +0.35 to +0.40 volts (350 to 450)
millivolts), which is mainly due to the content of dissolved oxygen in the
product. If for any reason that oxygen is separated, the Eh decreases. This
It occurs when microorganisms grow in the milk and consume oxygen. If
the number of microorganisms is very high, the consumption of oxygen will be greater
and consequently the Eh will drop quickly; if on the contrary, the number of
microorganisms are small, the Eh will decrease slowly.

Procedure:
1. Place the sterile test tubes with their caps in the rack and
add 1 mL of the methylene blue solution to each one.
2. Using a pipette or sterile measuring device, place 10 mL of each sample to be analyzed in
each of the tubes unmixed. Label.
3. During the preparation of the different samples, the tubes can
stay in a cold water bath (0 - 5° C) but never for more than 2
hours.
4. Once all the tubes are prepared, take them to a water bath regulated at 36.
°C along with a standard tube (milk without indicator). When the temperature of
the sample reaches 36° ± 1 °C, mix the contents of the tubes by inversion
(3 times) to achieve perfect distribution of the dye and the cream; cover
the water bath to keep the tubes shielded from light.
5. Start counting the reduction time (decoloration) at the moment when
that the tubes are inverted and observe their color frequently during the
first half hour, without shaking them. A sample is considered reduced when
presents 4/5 bleached.
If a sample decolorizes during a 30-minute incubation period,
record the result 'reduction time 30 minutes'. Subsequently, you can
observe the color of the tubes at intervals of 1 hour, but the following are recorded
results in whole hours; for example: if at 2 ½ hours it is observed
decoloration, the result is recorded as 'reduction time in 2 hours'.

VII. Reduction Time of Resazurin

Resazurin is an oxazone that imparts a blue color to milk. Due to loss of
oxygen is reduced in two stages: in the first, it goes through various shades of
violet to red-pink, a color that is attributed to the formation of a compound
called resorufin; unlike methylene blue, this reduction stage
it is irreversible, that is to say, in contact with the oxygen in the air the original blue color does not
is restored. If the loss of oxygen continues, the reduction moves to a second
reversible stage, in which resorufin is reduced to dihydro-resorufin, compound
colorless that can oxidize back to resorufin (red-pink).
The test is performed in milk in a manner similar to that of methylene blue, but the
readings and the interpretation of the results must be done following different
standards. Thus, in the so-called '1-hour test,' the samples are incubated at 36 °C.
and after 1 hour, its color is preferably observed with fluorescent light against
a neutral gray background, making the classification according to the following

Procedure:
For the 'triple reading test', proceed as follows:
Prepare the samples following the procedure used for the test
of methylene blue but with 1 mL of the resazurin solution and 10 mL of
milk. Label and gently mix.
2. After 1 hour of incubation (36 °C) compare each tube with the standard.
of Munsell color 5P 7/4. Those samples that have been acquired and
exceeded the referred color is registered as TRR 1 hour. It is preferable
continue incubating all the samples, because it can be obtained from
additional information depending on how quickly it continues to change your
color. Gently invert the tubes once.
3. At the end of the second and third hour of incubation, repeat the process of
comparison of color and record the observed results as TRR 3
hours respectively, also inverting the tubes in the second interval
1 time.
4. Those samples that have not changed color after 3 hours
beyond the pattern, they can register as TRR 3+ hours.

Sometimes it can be observed that after a rapid initial reduction, some

samples continue to change color very slowly. This usually happens in cases
of milk that contains bacteria with low reductive activity or in the presence of
non-bacterial elements such as a large number of leukocytes. The differentiation
it can be done by microscopic observation.
VIII. Lactofermentation Test
When a milk sample is incubated at a temperature of 36 °C, it undergoes a process.
of fermentation caused by the flora present in that sample. The
the organoleptic characteristics of the obtained product allow to a certain extent
establish the quality of original milk and classify it within certain categories
what are they like:

oLiquid: they remain in a liquid, homogeneous state after 24

hours. Corresponds to milk low in microorganisms,
especially in lactic fermenting germs. It is considered to
optimal quality.
Gelatinous: it presents a gelatinous clot appearance; it corresponds
milk rich in lactic fermenting germs with predominance of
Lactococcus sp. that produce coagulation. The clot can be
homogeneous and still, or it may contain barely small bubbles
gas bubbles. It is considered of acceptable quality.
Soda with separated whey: corresponds to milk that has been
coagulated but then gas has been produced by germs
probably of coliform group. It is considered poor in quality.
Sour with gas: corresponds to low-quality milk, in which it has
happened a process of coagulation by germs
lactofermenters, with considerable activity of germs
gas generators of the coliform group and also enzymes, like rennet.
with cheese-type curd: it is characterized by the formation of a
well-defined curd, with complete separation from the whey. It is
caused by the presence of a large number of germs that
They produce a large amount of rennet-type enzymes.

This test can be carried out using the samples used for the
tests for the reduction of methylene blue, continuing the incubation of these by
24 hours at 36 °C. It is advisable to keep in mind that the test of
lactofermentation is just an indication of the possible quality of milk, but it lacks
of conclusive value, unless accompanied by the total count of
microorganisms and if possible from a microscopic observation.
Procedure:
Place 10 mL of each sample in labeled test tubes.
2. Cover the tubes and place them in an oven at 36°C for 24 hours.
3. After the incubation period, observe the characteristics of the sample and
note the observations. Classify the samples according to the types
marked.
Bibliography
oTarazona Hector, 2011. ANALYSIS OF MILK (TESTS OF
PLATFORM) <The provided text is a URL, not translatable content.>
University of Zulia, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, 2003.
INTRODUCTION TO RAW MILK QUALITY CONTROL
[Link]
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