BACTERIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF A FARM BULK MILK HANDLING SYSTEM1,2

Abstract

Studies were conducted on the bacteriology of a farm bulk milk handling system. The sanitary condition of two bulk cooling tanks was tested by the swab-contact method. Milk samples were taken under various conditions of storage to determine the time of agitation required to permit representative sampling for bacteriological testing. The milk was sampled for bacteriological analysis after one and two days of storage in the bulk tanks to determine the effect of every-other-day pickup. The milk was sampled at the farm and at the dairy plant to determine the effect of tanker transportation. Results from these studies indicated that the flat open surfaces of the cooling tanks were generally cleaned in a satisfactory manner but that valves required special care in cleansing. Ninety seconds of agitation permitted representative sampling for bacteriological tests under all test conditions. Neither every-other-day pickup nor tanker transport adversely affected milk quality in the system being studied.