The Speed of “Build‐up” of Thermoduric Organisms on Farm Equipment

Summary. The history of the thermoduric problem in milk in the Belfast area has been given and an explanation of the cause offered. It has been shown that in Northern Ireland failure to cool the milk does not lead to any marked increase in the number of thermoduric bacteria. Provided there is no definite source of contamination, the build‐up of thermoduric organisms on farm equipment is slow even where production methods are poor and where suitable washing and sterilising of equipment is absent. Even under these conditions a serious build‐up takes longer than a month.