In-process sampling during dairy production and processing is critical for hygiene management, process monitoring, and microbiological risk management. Quality Managers use sampling plan results to check if microbiological specifications are met. They can also identify in-process microbiological variances that may indicate biofilms, cracks, or pinholes in stainless steel or gaskets leading to product spoilage or pathogen contamination. However, practical guidance for in-process product sampling detailing food microbiological analytical methods, defined processes, and responsibilities for taking samples along the process chain is lacking in available standards and guidelines.

This document supports dairy plants and farms in generating accurate and representative inprocess microbiological sample data. There are significant consequences for both microbiological and chemical analyses that the heterogeneity of the contamination of the sample, the sample size, and the sampling method can influence. A harmonized sampling process is proposed here to help provide accurate and comparable results to identify in-line contamination or quality implications proactively.

Keywords: Sampling, process, monitoring, microbiological testing, hygiene.

Cite this content as:

International Dairy Federation. (2023).  Practical considerations of sampling when monitoring dairy food production (Bulletin of the IDF n° 525/2023). https://doi.org/10.56169/NIQK7455