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Milk in progress ………
From the Dairy Farm…
To the Dairy Plant…
To the Home Refrigerator…
A Technical Reference for the Cold Chain Management of Milk
and Dairy Products improve the overall hygienic and sanitary practices of the
supply chain from the dairy farm, dairy plant, the retailer and finally to the
consumers.
The dairy industry supply chain looks set to enjoy higher productivity
and greater consumer confidence once a technical reference on cold chain management
- milk and dairy products is published. Industry feedback is currently being
sought on the draft.
Cold Chain Management for milk and dairy products is a total
concept of managing every link of the cold chain to improve and uphold the freshness,
quality and shelf life of milk and dairy products. Stringent safety and hygienic
practices are observed together with the careful management of managing the
temperature profile of the supply chain. It involves the proper management of
every link of the cold chain stretching from the dairy farm, the dairy plant,
the distribution, the warehouse, the point of sale at the retail outlets/supermarkets
and thereafter to the consumers.
The small but significant source of milk and dairy products
must also comply with the temperature requirements in order to avoid any breaches
in the Cold Chain. The bulk of the milk and dairy products sold in Singapore
are however, imported from overseas. Different modes of transportation via trucks,
ships and aircrafts are used in the distribution of these products. Stringent
temperature requirements in the supply chain must be observed in any of these
three modes of transport.
What it means in daily life
Shoppers buying milk and dairy products at the supermarket like
their purchases to be fresh, safe and of the best quality. Milk may be spoilt
though it may be well within the expiry dates.
Indeed, any breaches along the links of the chain could be hazardous
and pose a serious threat to the health of the consumers. When every link of
the supply chain practises the proper cold chain management for its milk and
dairy products, the consumers will find that the products they purchased are
always fresh. The expiry dates indicated will be reliable and satisfied shoppers
will have no cause to complain.
Consumers also have an integral part to play along in the cold
chain by ensuring that the milk and dairy products are correctly stored in designated
areas to avoid cross-contamination with other food in the refrigerator. To minimise
any rise in temperature on the way home, shoppers are advised to buy milk and
dairy products towards the end of a shopping trip. These perishable products
should not be left for long periods in a car or in an office without proper
insulation, or where there is fluctuation in temperature. Package milk and dairy
products should preferably be stored in insulation bags/containers containing
frozen refrigerant packs if the time lapse between removal from the retail display
cabinet and the home refrigerator is significant.
What it means in the dairy industry
By keeping the correct temperature profile and observing hygienic
and sanitary practices along the supply chain, productivity can be increased
as there would be time and cost savings due to fewer rejects and complaints
due to spoilage. Furthermore, the shelf life of milk and dairy products could
be extended.
Consumers will also have greater confidence in the milk and
dairy products purchased. Furthermore, all sectors of the cold chain could identify
and determine which link in the cold chain that failed to observe and implement
a stipulated temperature assigned to it, resulting in violation or breach of
the cold chain. Investigation time is shortened and immediate remedial actions
can be taken to rectify the problem.
Cold Chain management is an innovative solution, which uses
sophisticated modern technologies for the control and monitoring of the temperature
profile of the milk and dairy products to ensure their quality throughout the
entire supply chain in the food industry.
| Technical References (TRs) are fast track documents
that are developed to help met industry demand for specifications or requirements
on a particular product or process. This is in the light of rapid changes
and the absence of any reference standard. Unlike a Singapore Standard,
a Technical Reference is issued without it having to go through the full
consensus process as the time taken could affect its relevance to market
need. A TR is implemented and gauged for two years or for a period of time
stipulated by PSB before a review is made on its status, i.e. whether it
should be adopted as a Singapore Standard, withdrawn or retained as a Technical
Reference based on the feedback from industry application. |
For more information, please contact:
Ms Ho Phuy Bee
DID: 772 9790
Fax: 776 1280
Email: phuybee@psb.gov.sg.
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