Investigating the current skim milk powder inspection strategies for improvements in process optimisation

The production of skim milk powder (SMP) has increased among Irish Dairy processors in recent years. SMP has nutritional benefits and functional properties, including high calcium and potassium, a low fat content, excellent gelation, emulsification and foaming properties. As Irish dairy exports are increasing year on year, the requirement to intensify process optimisation is heightened. This study investigated the analytical test levels applicable to the regulatory requirements for the quality and safety assurance in the production of SMP across a 12 month period in two large Irish milk processing plants. The efficacy of the testing strategies and turnaround time for SMP for both plants were examined and compared. The results of this study demonstrate excess testing at 64% and 36% respectively, over the regulatory requirements for both companies. The sediment and density tests demonstrated the highest out of specification excess test results for each plant respectively. This is the first study to our knowledge on optimising sampling regimes in a dairy processing setting and the outcomes of this study propose an overview to the current SMP testing strategies for improvement in process optimisation for any milk product, focusing on the process in order to optimise overall production levels and to address analytical test levels, out of specification results and laboratory turn-around time (TAT).