Do milk production enterprises require inspection of compressed air quality?

Milk production enterprises really need to check the quality of compressed air, and has strict requirements on the quality of compressed air, the reasons and specific requirements are as follows:

key role of 1. compressed air in milk production

compressed air is widely used in milk production, involving several key links:

• pneumatic Control and Power Transmission used to drive pneumatic valves, agitators, pumps and other equipment to ensure the automation and precise control of the production process.
• Material conveying: Conveying powdered milk powder, powdered sugar and other powdered raw materials through compressed air to avoid artificial contact pollution.
• Packaging and Filling in the aseptic packaging process, compressed air is used to blow pet bottles, prepare pressure (keep the pressure in the package stable) and clean the packaging equipment.
• Fermentation and stirring: In the production of fermented products such as yogurt, compressed air is used to stir the materials in the fermentation tank while controlling the oxygen content to optimize the fermentation conditions.

Influence of 2. Compressed Air Quality on Milk Production

if the compressed air quality is not up to standard, the following problems may occur:

• microbial contamination: Bacteria, mold and other microorganisms in the compressed air may contaminate the milk, cause the product to deteriorate or shorten the shelf life.
• chemical pollution lubricating oil, oil vapor and other chemicals may be mixed into milk, affecting the flavor of the product and even endangering the health of consumers.
• physical pollution solid particles such as dust and rust may block pipes or damage equipment and contaminate the product.
• Excessive moisture: Moisture in the compressed air may cause milk clumping and accumulation of condensed water in the package, affecting product quality.

Specific Requirements for Compressed Air Quality of 3. Milk Production Enterprises

according to international standards (such as ISO 8573-1:2010) and industry practice, the requirements of milk production enterprises for compressed air quality usually include the following aspects:

1. microbial control:
   • compressed air in direct contact with milk: the total number of bacteria should be ≤ 100 CFU/m & sup3;(Some high-standard enterprises require ≤ 10 CFU/m & sup3;), and it should be through high-efficiency filtration (such as 0.01μm accuracy) and sterilization (such as UV or high-temperature sterilization).
   • Indirect contact with milk compressed air: microbial content should be controlled at a low level to prevent cross-contamination.
2. Particulate matter control:
   • the grade of solid particles shall be 1 or higher in ISO 8573-1:2010, I .e. particle size ≤ 0.1 μm and quantity ≤ 100,000/m & sup3;.
3. Oil content control:
   • the total oil content (including liquid oil, oil mist and oil vapor) should be ≤ 0.01 mg/m & sup3;, and some enterprises require lower (such as ≤ 0.001 mg/m & sup3;) to avoid oil pollution of milk.
4. dryness control:
   • the pressure dew point temperature should be 5-10°C below the minimum ambient temperature, usually ≤-40°C (ISO 8573-1:2010 Class 2 or higher) to prevent condensation of moisture.
5. No odor:
   • compressed air should be odor-free to avoid affecting the flavor of milk.

How to ensure the quality of compressed air in 4. milk production enterprises

in order to ensure the quality of compressed air standards, milk production enterprises usually take the following measures:

1. selection of oil-free compressor:
   • use oil-free screw machines, scroll machines or piston machines equipped with multi-stage filtration to avoid lubricant contamination.
2. Configuration of efficient purification equipment:
   • the three-stage filtration system (pre-filtration, precision filtration, sterilization filtration) and adsorption dryer are used to ensure the purity of compressed air.
3. Regular inspection and maintenance:
   • entrust a third-party laboratory to conduct comprehensive testing every quarter or half a year, and install online monitoring equipment (such as dew point meter, oil content detector) for real-time warning.
   • Regularly replace the filter element, clean the dryer, and check the tightness of the pipeline to prevent pollution sources from entering.
4. partition management:
   • separate and control the gas system in the roughing and finishing areas, and set up independent pressure regulating valves and inspection ports in each area to avoid cross-contamination.
5. Formulate emergency plan:
   • develop emergency plans for compressed air system failures or pollution incidents to ensure that measures can be taken quickly to protect food safety.