Abstract 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).

中文翻译：

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调查当前的脱脂奶粉检测策略，以改进流程优化。

摘要 近年来，爱尔兰乳制品加工商的脱脂奶粉 (SMP) 产量有所增加。SMP 具有营养益处和功能特性，包括高钙和钾、低脂肪含量、出色的凝胶化、乳化和发泡特性。随着爱尔兰乳制品出口量逐年增加，加强工艺优化的要求也越来越高。本研究调查了爱尔兰两家大型牛奶加工厂在 12 个月内适用于 SMP 生产质量和安全保证监管要求的分析测试水平。检查并比较了两种植物的 SMP 测试策略的有效性和周转时间。这项研究的结果表明，过度测试分别为 64% 和 36%，对两家公司的监管要求。沉积物和密度测试分别显示了每个工厂的最高超标超额测试结果。这是我们在乳制品加工环境中优化取样制度知识的第一项研究，本研究的结果提出了对当前 SMP 测试策略的概述，以改进任何奶制品的工艺优化，重点关注工艺以优化整体生产水平，并解决分析测试水平、不合格结果和实验室周转时间 (TAT)。