Lisbeth Meunier-Goddik

Physicochemical properties of pretreated poplar feedstocks during simultaneous saccharification and fermentation

Physicochemical properties of native and dilute acid pretreated (0.6% H2SO4, 10 min, and either 170°C or 180°C) poplar were investigated before and during simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). SSF duration was 5 days and employed Trichoderma reesei cellulases and Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation. Chemical composition (glucan, xylan, lignin), enzyme-accessible surface area (based on solute exclusion), crystallinity index, particle size distribution, particle shape, and enzyme adsorption (cellulase, β-glucosidase) were compared to cellulose conversion. Cellulose conversion varied from 8% for native poplar to 78% for the 180°C-pretreated poplar. The physicochemical properties of native poplar changed little during SSF. In contrast, the physicochemical properties of the 180°C-pretreated feedstock changed markedly. Enzyme-accessible surface area and β-glucosidase adsorption increased by 83% and 65%, respectively, as cellulose was removed from the feedstock. Crystallinity index and particle size (large fraction) decreased by 65% and 93%, respectively. Cellulase adsorption per unit weight increased initially (+45%) followed by a slight decrease (−13%). The same trends were observed, although to a lesser extent, for 170°C-pretreated feedstock.

Start-up and operating costs for artisan cheese companies

Lack of valid economic data for artisan cheese making is a serious impediment to developing a realistic business plan and obtaining financing. The objective of this study was to determine approximate start-up and operating costs for an artisan cheese company. In addition, values are provided for the required size of processing and aging facilities associated with specific production volumes. Following in-depth interviews with existing artisan cheese makers, an economic model was developed to predict costs based on input variables such as production volume, production frequency, cheese types, milk types and cost, labor expenses, and financing. Estimated values for start-up cost for processing and aging facility ranged from

Effect of commercial hauling practices and tanker cleaning treatments on raw milk microbiological quality

267,248 to

Liquid Milk Products: Pasteurized Milk

623,874 for annual production volumes of 3,402 kg (7,500 lb) and 27,216 kg (60,000 lb), respectively. First-year production costs ranged from

Short communication: Microbial quality of raw milk following commercial long-distance hauling

65,245 to

Consensus categorization of cheese based on water activity and pH—A rational approach to systemizing cheese diversity

620,094 for the above-mentioned production volumes. It is likely that high start-up and operating costs remain a significant entry barrier for artisan cheese entrepreneurs.

Evidence of terroir in milk sourcing and its influence on Cheddar cheese

Consolidation of the US milk industry has led to use of tankers for up to 24 h in between thorough cleanings. As the heavy use of tankers has not been previously studied, the effect of this form of hauling on raw milk quality is unknown. This study focused on the effect of frequent tanker use during hauling on raw milk quality at a commercial facility. Standard tanker use (cleaned-in-place once per 24 h) served as our control and incremental cleaning treatments (water rinse after each load, water rinse after each load with a sanitizer treatment after 12 h, and 12 h of sanitizer treatment) were added to the study to understand if any effect could be mitigated by more frequent cleaning. Producer samples were collected from the farm before loading milk into the tanker as well as sampling the same milk directly out of the tanker truck before unloading at the manufacturer. The study was repeated at 2 different dairy manufacturing facilities, once during the summer and once during the winter. Milk quality was quantified through industry-relevant microbiological tests: individual bacteria count, thermophilic spore count, and preliminary incubation count. Within the study we defined a negative effect on milk quality as a statistically significant difference between the tanker and producer samples in any of the 3 microbial tests conducted between treatments. Results from the study showed no clear effect due to hauling in individual bacteria count, thermophilic spore count, or preliminary incubation counts. There was also no difference in milk quality between the 2 plants, suggesting that neither season nor location affected our results in the standard use variable. As we did not see a negative effect on milk quality in the standard use variable, the addition of cleaning treatments did not appear to provide any clear benefit. Tanker surface swabs and ATP swabs were also used to monitor tanker sanitation and the efficacy of cleaning treatments. Both surface and ATP swabs revealed differences between cleaning efficacy at the 2 facilities. Although the differences in efficacy did not influence tanker milk quality within our study, variability in sanitation may provide a source of contamination that could negatively affect raw milk quality in other areas. Based on this study, current hauling practices appear to be effective in mitigating any measurable effect on raw milk quality; however, further investigation is needed before making industry-wide recommendations.

Assessing changes in the surface area of the non-cellulose fraction of lignocellulosics

The objective(s) of milk pasteurization is to ensure the safety of fluid milk by killing pathogens known to occur in milk and to prolong shelf life by destroying undesirable enzymes as well as reducing the number of viable spoilage microorganisms. The target of pasteurization is to achieve 99.999% (5-log) reduction in viable microorganisms. Pasteurization should not be confused with commercial sterilization, where the objective is to kill all microorganisms (pathogenic and spoilage) in the food. Pasteurization is generally achieved with high-temperature–short-time equipment, which uses continuous heat processing combined with separation, standardization, and homogenization. The temperature–time combinations recommended for pasteurization have been selected to optimize microbial kill while minimizing the impact on the nutritional quality of milk. Water-soluble vitamins are especially sensitive to heat and lose 5–20% of their activity following pasteurization. As pasteurized milk is not sterile, it must be stored and distributed under refrigeration. The shelf life of pasteurized milk is linked to raw milk quality and control of post-pasteurization contamination. The common types of pasteurized milk include whole milk, reduced-fat milk, and skim milk, as well as flavored milk, organic milk, low-lactose milk, and milk beverages fortified with select nutrients.

Fermentation and distillation of cheese whey: Carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions and water use in the production of whey spirits and white whiskey

Hauling is a critical part of the commercial milk supply chain, yet very few studies have aimed to understand its effect on raw milk quality. This study focused on the effect of extended-duration tanker use during hauling on raw milk quality at a commercial facility. Standard tanker use [cleaned-in-place (CIP) once per 24h] served as a control and an incremental between-load water rinse with sanitizer treatment (RS) was evaluated to mitigate any effect from extended duration hauling. During this study, 1 commercial truck with 2 trailers was monitored for 10d. The truck collected milk at a large dairy farm, transported the milk to a manufacturing facility, and then returned to the same farm for a second load. Each round-trip journey took between 10 and 12h, allowing for 2 loads per 24-h use period. Following the second delivery, the truck was cleaned by CIP treatment starting a new treatment day. Producer samples were collected from the raw milk bulk tank on the farm before loading milk into the tanker. The same milk was sampled directly out of the tanker truck before unloading at the manufacturer. Effect on individual bacteria count, thermophilic spore count, and preliminary incubation count was quantified through common industry tests. Surface sponge swabs were also used to monitor tanker sanitation and the efficacy of cleaning treatments. Results did not identify a negative effect on raw milk quality due to extended duration hauling. Whereas the addition of RS did not provide any measurable quality benefits for the microbial milk quality, swab results demonstrated that the RS treatment was able to reduce surface bacteria in the tanker, although not to the same level as the full CIP treatment. Based on this study, current CIP practices for long distance milk hauling appear to be effective in mitigating any measurable effect on raw milk quality.

Effect of leaving milk trucks empty and idle for 6 h between raw milk loads

Development of science-based interventions in raw milk cheese production is challenging due to the large diversity of production procedures and final products. Without an agreed upon categorization scheme, science-based food safety evaluations and validation of preventive controls would have to be completed separately on each individual cheese product, which is not feasible considering the large diversity of products and the typically small scale of production. Thus, a need exists to systematically group raw milk cheeses into logically agreed upon categories to be used for food safety evaluations. This paper proposes and outlines one such categorization scheme that provides for 30 general categories of cheese. As a base for this systematization and categorization of raw milk cheese, we used Table B of the US Food and Drug Administrations 2013 Food Code, which represents the interaction of pH and water activity for control of vegetative cells and spores in non-heat-treated food. Building on this table, we defined a set of more granular pH and water activity categories to better represent the pH and water activity range of different raw milk cheeses. The resulting categorization scheme was effectively validated using pH and water activity values determined for 273 different cheese samples collected in the marketplace throughout New York State, indicating the distribution of commercially available cheeses among the categories proposed here. This consensus categorization of cheese provides a foundation for a feasible approach to developing science-based solutions to assure compliance of the cheese processors with food safety regulations, such as those required by the US Food Safety Modernization Act. The key purpose of the cheese categorization proposed here is to facilitate product assessment for food safety risks and provide scientifically validated guidance on effective interventions for general cheese categories. Once preventive controls for a given category have been defined, these categories would represent safe havens for cheesemakers, which would allow cheesemakers to safely and legally produce raw milk cheeses that meet appropriate science-based safety requirements (e.g., risk to human health equivalent to pasteurized milk cheeses).