IDF Bulletins

Milk-determination of lactose content

Chlorine-based products are widely used in both dairy farming and dairy processing as effective equipment cleaners and sanitizers, as well as for teat disinfection. They have antimicrobial activity against a wide variety of bacteria, virus, and fungi. The critical overall parameter required to achieve a lessening of chlorine derivative residues in milk is the appropriate use of the cleaning or sanitizing product according to manufacturer label recommendations. Some chlorine containing products, particularly if improperly used, have the potential to generate chemical residues, some of which give rise to human health concerns. The residues in milk potentially arising from the use of chlorine based cleaning and sanitizing solutions are chlorite, chlorate, perchlorate, trichloromethane (TCM), cyanurate, and chlorhexidine. Regulatory agencies in several geographies have developed tolerance levels for one or more of these substances using a “reasonable certainty of no harm” approach. This document provides an overview of the chlorine containing compounds in use in the dairy supply chain, the possible occurrence of residues, their potential risk to human health, regulatory limits, detection methods, and mitigation strategies to minimize the risk of residues present in dairy products. Ultimately the risk of deleterious residue levels in dairy products is greatly reduced if: 1) chlorine containing compounds are stored, prepared, and used in full accordance with recommendations and labelling, 2) there is adequate rinsing, and 3) there is adherence to commonly accepted Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).

This bulletin discusses the sampling and sub-sampling methodologies for cheese and the analytical methodologies for salt determination. It describes especially the two possible approaches (using the chloride or the sodium content), their limitations and advantages and disadvantages.

The World Dairy Situation Report 2023

Prevention of the development of chlorate in the dairy chain

Practical considerations of sampling when monitoring dairy food production

Moisture content of dried milk and dried milk products – Complementary international collaborative study

Proceedings of the 7th and 8th IDF Paratuberculosis Fora

DF Global Marketing Trends Report

Survey on the Implementation of the CAC General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms (GSUDT- Survey)

The IDF global Carbon Footprint standard for the dairy sector

C-Sequ LCA guidelines for calculating carbon sequestration in cattle production systems

The World Dairy Situation Report 2022

Eco-friendly and energy-saving dairy technologies.

Heat treatment of milk.

Guidelines for defining quarter and udder health status and cured clinical and subclinical mastitis cases

Inventory of microbial food cultures with safety demonstration in fermented food products

Identification of Probiotics at the strain level - Guidance Document

The World Dairy Situation 2021.

Guidance on the application of conversion equations for determination of microbiological quality of raw milk.

Inventory, evaluation and perspectives on methods for determination of somatic cell count.

Lactose, an important nutrient: Advocating a revised policy approach for dairy & its intrinsic sugar

Guidance on application of EC JRC Certified Reference Material for somatic cell counting in milk.

The Codex General Standard for the Use of Dairy Terms. Its Nature, intent and implications.