Dairy Products

Article index

		Composition of cow milk:
		Dairy products as economic factor

The first findings on the use and production of milk date from more than 6,000 years ago. Milk is produced all over the world from animals which are well-adapted to their specific environmental conditions.

Composition of cow milk:

3.5% protein
2.8% casein
3.7% fat
4.8% carbohydrates
and 0.7%
ash the rest is water (approx. 87%).

The conductivity of milk ranges between 3 and 5 mS/cm. In addition to cows, a number of other animals such as goats, donkeys and buffalo are milked. The percentage of the ingredients vary from animal to animal.

Dairy products as economic factor

Milk and dairy products represent an important element in daily nutrition and are also a key economic factor. This fact is clearly demonstrated by a stable annual production of, for example, 138 million tons in Europe and 94 million tons in the USA. Dairy products account for up to 30% of food sales in a large number of regions.

The price of milk is under strong international pressure due to the formation of large groups of companies with concentrated production and highly automated processes. The handling of milk also calls for a high care and hygiene standards. An installation can be successful with the right overall concept - from the selection of the installed technology through to the cleaning process parameters.