1.

INTRODUCTION
Milk testing and quality control is an essential component of any milk processing industry whether small,
medium or large scale. Milk being made up of 87% water is prone to adulteration by unscrupulous
middlemen and unfaithful farm workers. Moreover, its high nutritive value makes it an ideal medium for
the rapid multiplication of bacteria, particularly under unhygienic production and storage at ambient
temperatures. We know that, in order for any processor to make good dairy products, good quality raw
materials are essential. A milk processor or handler will only be assured of the quality of raw milk if certain
basic quality tests are carried out at various stages of transportation of milk from the producer to the
processor and finally to the consumer.
There are a number of standard manuals and text books on milk quality control. However these may not
be easily available to the emerging small scale to medium scale processors in Kenya.
For these reasons, the Training Programme for the Small Scale Dairy Sector under project
GOK/FAO/TCP/KEN/6611, has assembled this guide on Milk Testing and Quality Control so that it may
be used for training and by the private small scale dairy processors. The methods selected are simple
and basic and will suffice the requirements of most milk quality control laboratories of small scale
processing units. For the larger plants with bigger laboratories more tests are to be found in the
bibliography at the end of this booklet.
2. MILK TESTING AND QUALITY CONTROL
2.1 WHAT IS MILK QUALITY CONTROL?
Milk quality control is the use of approved tests to ensure the application of approved practices, standards
and regulations concerning the milk and milk products. The tests are designed to ensure that milk
products meet accepted standards for CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PURITY AS WELL AS LEVELS
OF DIFFERENT MICRO-ORGANISMS.
2.2 WHY HAVE MILK QUALITY CONTROL?
Testing milk and milk products for quality and monitoring that MILK PRODUCTS, PROCESSORS and
MARKETING AGENCIES adhere to accepted codes of practices costs money. There must be good
reasons why we have to have a quality control system for the dairy industry in Kenya.
The reasons are:
i)To the Milk Producer.
The milk producer expects a fair price in accordance with the quality of milk she/he produces.
ii) The Milk Processor.
The milk processor who pays the producer must assure himself/herself that the milk received for
processing is of normal composition and is suitable for processing into various dairy products.
iii) The Consumer.
The consumer expects to pay a fair price for milk and milk products of acceptable to excellent quality.
iv) The Public and Government Agencies.
These have to ensure that the health and nutritional status of the people is protected from consumption of
contaminated and sub-standard foodstuffs and that prices paid are fair to the milk producers, the milk
processor and the final consumer.
All the above-is only possible through institution of a workable quality testing and assurance system
conforms to national or internationally acceptable standards.
2.3 TECHNIQUES USED IN MILK TESTING AND QUALITY CONTROL
2.3.1 Milk sampling
Accurate sampling is the first pre-requisite for fair and just quality control system. Liquid milk in cans and
bulk tanks should be thoroughly mixed to disperse the milk fat before a milk sample is taken for any
chemical control tests. Representative samples of packed products must be taken for any investigation on
quality. Plungers and dippers me used in sampling milk from milk cans.
2.3.2 Sampling milk for bacteriological testing
Sampling milk for bacteriological tests require a lot of care. Dippers used must have been sterilised in an
autoclave or pressure cooker for at least 15mm at 120 C before hand in order not to contaminate the
sample. On the spot sterilisation may be employed using 70% Alcohol swab and flaming or scaling in hot
steam or boiling water for 1 minute.

Fig. 1: Equipment used for taking milk samples
2.3.3 Preservation of sample
Milk samples for chemical tests.
Milk samples for butterfat testing may be preserved with chemicals like Potassium dichromate(1 Tablet or
ml 14% solution in a litre sample bottle is adequate.) Milk samples that have been kept cooling a
refrigerator or ice-box must first be warmed in water bath at 40 C, cooled to 20C, mixed and a sample
then taken for butterfat determination. Other preservative chemicals include Sodium azid at the rate of
0.08% and Bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3-propanediol) used at the rate of 0.02%.
If the laboratory cannot start work on a sample immediately after sampling, the sample must be cooled to
near freezing point quickly and be kept cool till the work can start. If samples are to be taken in the field
e.g. at a milk cooling centre, ice boxes with ice pecks are useful.
2.3.4. Labelling and records keeping
Samples must be clearly labelled with name of farmer or code number and records of dates, and places
included in standard data sheets. Good records must be kept neat and in a dry place. It is desirable that
milk producers should see their milk being tested, and the records should be made available to them if
they so require.
2.3.5 Common testing of milk.
2.3.5.1 Organoleptic tests
The organoleptic test permits rapid segregation of poor quality milk at the milk receiving platform. No
equipment is required, but the milk grader must have good sense of sight, smell and taste. The result of
the test is obtained instantly, and the cost of the test are low. Milk which cannot be adequately judged
organoleptically must be subjected to other more sensitive and objective tests.
Procedure:
Open a can of milk.
Immediately smell the milk.
Observe the appearance of the milk.
If still unable to make a clear judgement, taste the milk, but do not swallow it. Spit the milk sample
into a bucket provided for that purpose or into a drain basin, flush with water.
Look at the can lid and the milk can to check cleanliness.
Judgement:
Abnormal smell and taste may be caused by:
Atmospheric taint (e.g. barny/cowy odour).
Physiological taints (hormonal imbalance, cows in late lactation- spontaneous rancidity).
Bacterial taints.
Chemical taints or discolouring.
Advanced acidification (pH < 6.4).
2.3.5.2 Clot on Boiling (C.O.B) Test
The test is quick and simple. It is one of the old tests for too acid milk(pH<5.8) or abnormal milk (e.g.
colostral or mastitis milk ). If a milk sample fails in the test, the milk must contain many acid or rennet
producing microrganisms or the milk has an abnormal high percentage of proteins like colostral milk.
Such milk cannot stand the heat treatment in milk processing and must therefore be rejected.
Procedure:
Boil a small amount of milk in a spoon, test tube or other suitable container. If there is clotting,
coagulation or precipitation, the milk has failed the test. Heavy contamination in freshly drawn milk cannot
be detected, when the acidity is below 0.20-0.26% Lactic acid.

Fig 2. Equipment used in C.O.B. test
2.3.5.3. The Alcohol Test
The test is quick and simple. It is besed on instability of the proteins when the levels of acid and/or rennet
are increased and acted upon by the alcohol. Also increased levels of albumen (colostrum milk) and salt
concentrates (mastitis) results in a positive test.
Procedure:
The test is done by mixing equal amounts of milk and 68% of ethanol solution in a small bottle or test
tube. (68 % Ethanol solution is prepared from 68 mls 96%(absolute) alcohol and 28 mls distilled water). If
the tested milk is of good quality, there will be no coagulation, clotting or precipitation, but it is necessary
to look for small lumps. The first clotting due to acid development can first be seen at 0.21-0.23% Lactic
acid. For routine testing 2 mls milk is mixed with 2 mls 68% alcohol.

Fig. 3. Equipment used in alcohol test
2.3.5.4. The Alcohol-Alizarin test
The procedure for carrying out the test is the same as for alcohol test but this test is more informative.
Alizarin is a colour indicator changing colour according to the acidity. The Alcohol Alizarin solution can be
bought ready made or be prepared by adding 0.4 grammes alizarin powder to 1 litre of 61% alcohol
solution.
RESULTS OF THE TEST
Parameter Normal milk Slightly acid Milk Acid milk Alkaline Milk
PH 6.6 6.7 6.4 6.6 6.3 or lower 6.8 or higher
Colour Red brown Yellowish-brown Yellowish Lilac
Appearance of
milk
No coagulation no
lumps
No coagulation Coagulation * No coagulation **
Note:
* = Sour milk looks yellowish with small lumps or completely coagulated.
** = Alkaline milk looks like lilac and it may be mastitis milk. Clots and flakes too, indicate mastitis milk.

2.3.5.5 Acidity test
Bacteria that normally develop in raw milk produce more or less of lactic acid. In the acidity test the acid is
neutralised with 0.1 N Sodium hydroxide and the amount of alkaline is measured. From this, the
percentage of lactic acid can be calculated. Fresh milk contains in this test also "natural acidity" which is
due to the natural ability to resist pH changes .The natural acidity of milk is 0.16 - 0.18%. Figures higher
than this signifies developed acidity due to the action of bacteria on milk sugar.
Apparatus:
A porcelain dish or small conical flask
10 ml pipette, graduated
1 ml pipette
A Burette, 0.1 ml graduations
A glass rod for stirring the milk in the dish
A Phenophtalein indicator solution, 0.5%in 50% Alcohol
N Sodium hydroxide solution.

Fig. 4. Apparatus used be acidity test
Procedure:
9 ml of the milk measured into the porcelain dish/conical flask,1 ml Phenopthalein is added and then
slowly from the burret, 0.1 N Sodium hydroxide under continuous mixing, until a faint pink colour appears.
The number of mls of Sodium hydroxide solution divided by 10 expresses the percentage of lactic acid.
2.3.5.6 Resazurin test.
Resazurin test is the most widely used test for hygiene and the potential keeping quality of raw milk.
Resazurin is a dye indicator. Under specified conditions Resazurin is dissolved in distilled boiled water.
The Resazurin solution can later be used to test the microbial activity in a given milk sample.
Resazurin can be carried out as:
i. 10 min test.
ii. 1 hr test.
iii. 3 hr test.
The 10 min Resazurin test is useful and rapid, screening test used at the milk platform.
The 1 hr test and 3 hr tests provide more accurate information about the milk quality, but after a fairy long
time . They are usually carried out in the laboratory.
Apparatus and reagents:
Resazurin tablets
Test tubes with 10 mls mark
1 ml pipette or dispenser for Resazurin solution.
Water bath thermostatically controlled
Lovibond comparator with Resazurin disc 4/9

Fig. 5. Apparatus used in 10 min. Resazurin Test
Procedure:
The solution of Resazurin as prepared by adding one tablet to 50 mIs of distilled sterile water. Rasazurin
solution must not be exposed to sunlight, and it should not be used for more than eight hours because it
losses strength.
Mix the milk and with a sanitized dipper put 10 mls milk into a sterile test tube.
Add one ml of Resazurin solution, stopper with a sterile stopper, mix gently the dye into the milk and mark
the tube before the incubation in a water bath, place the test tube in a Lovibond comparator with
Resazurin disk and compare it colourimetrically with a test tube containing 10 ml milk of the same sample,
but without the dye (Blank).
READINGS AND RESULTS (10 MINUTE RESAZURIN TEST)
Resazurin disc No. Colour Grade of milk Action
6 Blue Excellent Accept
5 Light blue v. good Accept
4 Purple Good Accept
3 Purple pink Fair Separate
2 Light pink Poor Separate
1 Pink Bad Reject
0 white Very bad Reject

2.3.5.7 The Gerber Butterfat test
The fat content of milk and cream is the most important single factor in determining the price to be paid
for milk supplied by farmers in many countries.
Also, in order to calculate the correct amount of feed ration for high yielding dairy cows, it is important to
know the butterfat percentage as well as well as the yield of the milk produced. Further more the butterfat
percentage in the milk of individual animals must be known in many breeding programmes.
Butterfat tests are also done on milk and milk products in order to make accurate adjustments of the
butterfat percentage in standardised milk and milk products.

Fig. 6. Equipment used in Gerber Butterfat test
Apparatus for DF test:
Gerber butyrameters, 0-6% or 0-8% BF
Rubber stoppers for butyrometers
10.94 or 11 ml pipettes for milk
10 mls pippetes or dispensers for Gerber Acid
1 mls pippetes or dispensers for Amyl alcohol
stands for butyrometers
Gerber water bath Reagents:
Gerber sulphuric acid,(1.82 g/cc)
Amyl alcohol
Treatment of samples.
Fresh milk at approximately 20C should be mixed well. Samples kept cool for some days should be
warmed to 40C, mixed gently and cooled to 20C before the testing.
Procedure:
Add 10 mIs sulphuric acid to the butyrometer followed by 10.94 or 11 mls of well mixed milk. Avoid
wetting of the neck of the butyrometer.
Next add 1 ml of Amyl alcohol, insert stopper and shake the butyrometer carefully until the curd dissolves
and no white particles can be seen. Place the butyrometer in the water bath at 65C and keep it there
until a set is ready for centrifuging. The butyrometer must be placed in the centrifuge with the stem (scale)
pointing towards the centre of the centrifuge.
Spin for 5 min. at ll00 rpm.
Remove the butyrometers from the centrifuge.
Put the butyrometers in a water bath maintained at 65C for 3 min. before taking the reading.
(Note: When transferring the butyrometers from the centrifuge into the water bath make sure that the
butyrometers are all the time held with the NECK POINTING UP).
The fat column should be read from the lowest point of the meniscus of the interface of the acid-fat to the
0-mark of the scale and read the butterfat percentage.
The butyrometers should be emptied into a special container for the very corrosive liquid of acid-milk, and
the butyrometers should be washed in warm water and dried before the next use.
APPEARANCE OF THE TEST
The colour of the fat column should be straw yellow.
The ends of the fat column should be clearly and sharply defined.
The fat column should be free from specks and sediment.
The water just below the fat column should be perfectly clear.
The fat should be within the graduation.
PROBLEMS IN TEST RESULTS
Curdy tests:
Too lightly coloured or curdy fat column can be due to:
Temperature at milk or acid or both too low.
Acid too weak.
Insufficient acid.
Milk and acid not mixed thoroughly.
Charred tests:
Darkened fat column containing black speck at the base is due to:
Temperature of milk-acid mixture too high.
Acid too strong.
Milk and acid mixed too slowly.
Too much acid used.
Acid dropped through the milk.
2.3.5.8 The Lactometer test
Addition of water to milk can be a big problem where we have unfaithful farm workers, milk transporters
and greedy milk hawkers. A few farmers may also fall victim of this illegal practice. Any buyer of milk
should therefore assure himself/herself that the milk he/she purchases is wholesome and has not been
adulterated. Milk has a specific gravity. When its adultered with water or other materials are added or
both misdeeds are committed, the density of milk change from its normal value to abnormal. The
lactometer test is designed to detect the change in density of such adulterated milk. Carried out together
with the Gerber butterfat test, it enables the milk processor to calculate the milk total solids (% TS ) and
solids not fat (SNF). In normal milk SNF should not be below 8.5% according to Kenya Standards(KBS
No 05-l0:-1976).
Procedure:
Mix the milk sample gently and pour it gently into a measuring cylinder (300-500). Let the Lactometer sink
slowly into the milk. Read and record the last Lactometer degree (L) just above the surface of the milk. If
the temperature of the milk is different from the calibration temperature (Calibration temperature may
be=20 0C ) of the lactometer, calculate the temperature correction. For each C above the calibration
temperature add 0.2L; for each C below calibration temperature subtract 0.2 L from the recorded
lactometer reading.
EXAMPLE: Calibration temperature of lactometer 20C.

Fig 7. Equipment used for determination of milk density
Sample Milk temperature Lactometer
reading
Correction True reading
No.1 17 C 30.6 L - 0.6 L 30.0 L
No.2 20 C 30.0 L Nil 30.0 L
No.3 23 C 29.4 L + 0.6 L 30.0 L
For the calculations, use lactometer degrees, and for the conversion to density write 1.0 in front of the
true lactometer reading ,i.e. 1.030 g/ml. Clever people may try to adulterate milk in such a way that the
lactometer cannot show the adulteration. But look to see if there is an unusual sediment from the milk at
the bottom of the milk can and taste to find out if the milk is too sweet or salty to be normal. Samples of
milk from individual cows often have lactometer reading outside the range of average milk, while samples
of milk from herds should have readings hear the average milk, but wrong feeding, may result in low
readings. Kenyan standards expects milk to have specific gravity of 1.026 -1.032 g/ml which implies a
Lactometer reading range of 26.0 -32.0 L. If the reading is consistently lower than expected and the milk
supplier disputes any wrong doing arrange to take a genuine sample from the supplier (i.e. inspect milk
right from source).
2.3.5.10 Inhibitor test.
Milk collected from producers may contain drugs and/or pesticides residues. These when present in
significant amounts in milk may inhibit the growth of lactic acid bacteria used in the manufacture of
fermented milk such as Mala, cheese and Yoghurt, besides being a health hazard.
Principle of the method: The suspected milk sample is subjected to a fermentation test with starter culture
and the acidity checked after three (3) hours. The values of the titratable acidity obtained is compared
with titratable acidity of a similarly treated sample which is free from any inhibitory substances.
Materials:
test tubes
Starter culture
lml pipette
water bath
material for determination of titratable acidity (Fig.9)

Fig. 9. Materials used to test inhibitory substances in milk
Procedure:
Three test tubes are filled with l0 ml of sample to be tested and three test tubes filled with normal milk.
All tubes are heated to 90 0C by putting them in boiling water for 3 - 5 minutes.
After cooling to optimum temperature of the starter culture (30,37, or 42C), 1 ml of starter culture is
added to each test tube, mixed and incubated for 3 hours.
After each hour, one test tube is from the test sample and the control sample is determined.
Assessment of results:
If acid production in suspected sample is the same as the normal sample, then the suspect sample does
not contain any inhibitory substances;
If acid production as suspect sample is less than in the normal milk sample, then, the suspect sample
contains antibiotics or other inhibitory substances.
3. QUALITY CONTROL OF PASTEURISED MILK
When milk is pasteurised at 63C for 30 min in batch pasteuriser or 72C for 15 seconds in heat
exchanger, continuous flow pasteurisers, ALL PATHOGENIC BACTERIA ARE DESTROYED, there by
rendering milk safe for human consumption. Simultaneously various enzymes present in milk, and which
might affect its flavour, are destroyed.
In order to determine whether or not milk has been adequately pasteurised, one of the enzymes normally
present in milk phosphatase, is measured. A negative phosphatase result indicates that the enzyme and
any pathogenic bacteria have been destroyed during pasteursation. If it is positive, it means the
pasteurisation process was inadequate and the milk may not be safe for human consumption and will
have a short shelf life.
Test tubes
5 mls pipettes
1 ml pipettes
l00 ml volumetric flask
500 ml volumetric flask
water bath at 37C
Note: All glassware must be rinsed, cleaned, rinsed in chromic acid solution and boiled in water for 30
min.
Reagent:
Buffer solution:
Is mixed by 0.75g anhydrous sodium carbonate and l.75g Sodium bicarbonate in 500 ml distilled water.
Buffer-substrate solution:
Place 0.l5 g of di-sodium paranitrophenylphosphate(the substrate)into a clean 100ml measuring cylinder.
Add the buffer solution to make to 100 ml mark.
Store this buffer-substrate solution in a refrigerator and protected against light. It should not be used after
one week. Prepare a fresh stock.
Procedure:
Pipette 5mls buffer-substrate solution into a test tube, stopper and warm the solution in the water bath at
37C. Add to the test tube 1ml of the milk to be tested, stopper and mix well and place in water bath at
37C. Prepare a blank sample from boiled milk of the same type as that undergoing the test. Incubate
both the test samples and the blank sample at 37C for 2hrs. After incubation, remove the tubes and mix
them thoroughly.
Place one sample against the blank in a Lovibond comparator" ALL PURPOSES" using A.P.T.W. disc
and rotate the disc until the colour of the test sample is matched and read the disc number.