How is milk quality assessed?

For the consumer, milk quality is important with regards to its appearance, taste, flavour and its potential impact on health. For the milk processor or manufacturer of dairy products and ingredients, milk quality can also impact product quality and yield. Milk quality can be assessed by measuring factors that impact these attributes, such as nutritional composition, physical and chemical characteristics, microbiology, enzymology, residues and hygienic factors (milking conditions, somatic cell count (SCC), total bacteria count (TBC) and thermoduric bacteria count).

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is the designated competent authority for the enforcement of milk quality and safety legislation, with farm inspections conducted routinely. In addition, all Dairy Food Business Operators must be registered and approved by the DAFM and should always have an approval number on their products. Incentives are in place to encourage good dairy farming practices, which in turn have beneficial impacts on the milk quality, and the yield of dairy products and ingredients.

Extra Information:

The Bord Bia Sustainability and Quality Assurance Scheme conducts independent audits on milk quality. The NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards (www.qualitymilkawards.ie) is a national programme which recognises the excellent standards of pasture based dairy farming, practiced by Irish farmers. Quality Awards are rated against areas such as sustainability, environmental factors, animal health, animal welfare and farm management practices.