USDA May Tighten Bacterial Standards

Dairy Foods, Oct, 2001

Minor changes may be in the works of U.S. dairy processing plant specifications. USDA is soliciting comments on its proposal to change the General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service, which have been in effect since 1995. The proposed changes for all producer herd milk, including both cows and goats milk, would lower the maximum allowable bacterial estimate for producer herd milk from 1,000,000 to 500,000 per milliliter.

It would also modify the follow-up procedure when producer herd milk exceeds the maximum allowable bacterial estimate and lower the maximum permitted bacterial estimate in commingled milk from 3,000,000 to 1,000,000 per milliliter. The proposed change for producer herd milk from cow's milk only would lower the maximum allowable somatic cell count in cow's milk from 1,000,000 to 750,000 per milliliter. Other proposed changes would update the animal drug residue monitoring provisions; change the keeping quality test of whipped butter from 70[degrees] to 72[degrees] F, to align it with the keeping quality test temperature of butter; and provide editorial changes to update the document.