Milk and milk products are among the most highly regulated food products in the world. From the dairy farm to the grocery store, there are many behind-the-scenes, and often overlooked, parts of this journey. One important part of the journey is a laboratory. A dairy laboratory tests not only raw milk but finished dairy products. These include butter, yogurt, ice cream, cheeses, cottage cheese, buttermilk, chocolate milk, whipped cream, milk powders, whey, and dry milk products.
At the Dairy One Milk Laboratory, located in Ithaca, NY, the team conducts a variety of finished product testing. One week they may be testing whipped cream and the next week, ice cream. While it brings variety to their days, the team is devoted to ensuring products are safe for consumer consumption.
In recent years, New York State has approved milk plants to perform extended runs of milk products. This process allowed plants to run the production of a product, say yogurt for example, for multiple days at a time without shutting down. However, during production time, samples need to be collected at random times throughout this run period. The samples can then be sent to Dairy One’s Milk Laboratory to be tested.
Traditionally, a milk plant would make a product during the day and then shut down and clean the equipment before repeating the process the next day. Extended runs allow the plant to create more products and reduce downtime.
The Dairy One Milk Laboratory can conduct regulatory compliance testing and holds certifications from the FDA and New York State for all milk product testing. The team must recertify every year for these stamps of approval.
A dairy laboratory is an important stop in the journey of milk from a farm to a consumer. These labs test to ensure that products meet regulations and are safe to consume.
If you’re a milk plant, small business owner, or ice cream stand or just need a milk product tested, contact Dairy One Milk Laboratory at 607-252-2048, extension 2048 or send an email to [email protected]