Dairy is one of the symbolic sectors of the excellence of the Italian agri-food chain in the world: to maintain the competitiveness it deserves in global markets, tradition must necessarily marry product and process innovation.
Dairy factories that “look to the future” by implementing solutions that improve productivity, energy efficiency, environmental impact and product quality are achieving, already, great benefits on several fronts.
With solutions ranging from controlling temperatures during processing to packaging in a protective atmosphere, the intelligent use of food gases along all stages of the production chain for cheese, dairy products and other dairy products not only impacts improving quality and productivity, but also meets the needs of consumers who are increasingly concerned about food safety.
The “fight” against microbial growth and product spoilage requires targeted strategies, considering the different vulnerabilities of aged and fresh cheeses, while pH control is crucial, avoiding contamination that can compromise the preservation and quality of the final product.
Here then are the main uses of food gases throughout the production chain of Italy’s excellent dairy products.
Temperature control and cooling of dairy products
Let’s start with one of the most common problems experienced in dairy operations: during the mixing and blending stages, the heat generated can lead to undesirable consequences such as bacterial growth, loss of aroma and a reduction in product shelf-life. To counter these effects, it is essential to precisely control the temperature. But how best to do this?
The first solution is the use of carbon dioxide, one of the gases most widely used throughout the food industry because of its ductility and optimal performance in thermoregulation. For example, SIAD provides automatic carbon dioxide distribution systems (also known as innevators), which can be adapted “on site” to different machinery and production contexts.
As an alternative to CO₂, liquid nitrogen can be used: classified as an additive with the number E941, it is a valuable gas that is very useful in counteracting the formation of bacteria in foods and preventing the oxidation of products.
Both of the mentioned gases, where necessary, can be used in the cryogenic freezing of curd, by means of cryogenic tunnels or cabinets, in order to achieve a very sudden reduction in temperatures and to preserve the elasticity of particular types of products, for example for goat cheese.
On the efficiency and reduction of cooling time the quality game is “played,” and these solutions guarantee concrete advantages that result in perfect and superior products.
Carbon dioxide for cheese coagulation and pH standardization with CO₂.
For the milk curdling process to produce a uniform and solid result, it is also extremely useful to maintain stable acidity levels.
A key element in achieving this stability is always carbon dioxide (CO₂): it allows precise control of acidification by adjusting the pH of the milk before curdling. This allows a significant improvement in the effectiveness of the rennet’s action in coagulating the milk, reducing the coagulation time and the amount of rennet and enzymes.
Carbon dioxide once again proves to be a highly effective antimicrobial agent when used in dairy and cheese production.
Its presence prolongs the shelf life of such products, preserving their taste and cell structure intact. This beneficial effect also minimizes the use of preservatives, both natural and artificial, in line with the demands of more sustainable and health-oriented food production.
Cheese forming with inert gas mixtures
Even at the forming stage, the use of inert gas mixtures proves to be extremely effective for this industry.
Each type of production, raw material and territorial reality requires a different mixture, calibrated according to its needs, which is why having a partner on your side who can fully follow the efficiency operations thanks to food gases, guarantees no small competitive advantage.
In particular, these blends are fruitful in reducing the use of lysozyme, a factor often associated with food intolerance resulting from cheese, and allows high quality standards to be maintained even when using lower quality milk.
Protective Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) of cheeses.
When the product is finished, then, the biggest challenge for dairies is proper packaging. The goal? Ensuring a shelf life and durability in line with the needs of consumers, distributors and the company itself.
Gases prove to be a valuable ally as demonstrated by this SIAD case study on the application of the FOODLINE® line in a historic Italian dairy producing the well-known “Mozzarella di Seriate.”
Read more about the case here.
Protective Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) technologies make it possible to fully protect organoleptic and nutritional properties while keeping flavors, aromas and colors unaltered, and this becomes particularly relevant when the dairy’s distribution and trade marketing strategies require it.
How. Food gases, singly or in a mixture, are used to replace air and other substances inside the packages that feed the enzymatic and biochemical degradation process, resulting in blocking or reducing this process and obtaining a product with better quality and for a longer period of time.
Refrigerated transport of dairy products
But the chain does not end with packaging; it continues with transportation.
In today’s socioeconomic environment and with changing consumer habits, it is essential to be aware of all innovations in refrigerated transportation for the food industry. The importance of this crucial step in the supply chain should not be underestimated, especially during the hottest months of the year, whether the farm relies on external transporters or, more importantly, if the dairy manages these steps independently.
Preserving the cold chain along the entire food supply chain is essential for several reasons, first and foremost to ensure the safety and quality of the product, from its processing in factories to its delivery to the end customer at his or her home, via storage and preservation in logistics centers.
For the proper maintenance of the cold chain, including dairy products, there are now new handling and transportation solutions that meet the need to use environmentally friendly technologies and gases and silent and efficient refrigeration systems.
You can learn more by discovering the benefits of COOOL® FreeToGo and COOOL®RollBox.
Dairy cryo-cleaning and wastewater treatment.
We close with the cleaning, maintenance and disposal of dairy wastewater.
Solid-state carbon dioxide is the basis of cryopurification (or cryogenic cleaning), a special system that involves projecting small pellets of dry ice at a temperature of -78.5°C and at sonic or supersonic velocity onto the surface to be treated. The advantage of this procedure is in the cleaning effectiveness and speed, but also in the preservation of machinery made of more delicate materials, since they are not at risk of being damaged in this way.
In wastewater treatment, the use of CO₂ as a neutralizing agent is also an outstanding solution, offering superior advantages over conventional systems based on the use of sulfuric acid. Numerous trials have demonstrated its effectiveness and emphasized its enhanced safety and flexibility.
SIAD gas in the dairy sector: from analysis to supply to consulting
Ultimately, for dairy companies projected to innovate and compete nationally and internationally, adopting innovative systems that exploit the properties of food gases can be one of the keys. All these uses deserve attention and in-depth study.
For decades, the SIAD Group has been committed to offering targeted solutions that can be a real advantage for agribusinesses, including dairies, acting as a strategic and operational partner from the stages of needs analysis, through gas distribution, to the installation of ad hoc systems that are the result of specialized consulting.
All this, is always accompanied by the study of the impact that these innovations bring to the company, with the examination of the data resulting from the new applications.
If you want to go deep and discover the opportunities for your industry, SIAD specialists are at your disposal to understand how to integrate the innovations into your reality. Contact us for a consultation.
