Fluid Milk Industry in the Central Province of Saudi Arabia

Production, processing, and quality aspects of fluid milk were investigated. Annual production of 36,046, 9,360, and 4,207 metric tons were obtained for raw milk, sterilized milk, and pasteurized milk, respectively. Sterilized milk was made exclusively from reeombined milk and constituted 70% of the total processed fluid milk. Only one-third of raw milk was used for manufacture of pasteurized milk and two-thirds for yogurt products. Pasteurized milk was made exclusively from fresh milk. Heat treatment included batch, high-temperature short-time, and ultrahigh temperature. The high-temperature short-time pasteurization was predominant. Compositional aspects of raw milk indicated means of 3.09% fat, 3.07% protein, .71% ash, 4.49% lactose, 11.59% total solids, and 8.51% solids-not-fat. The physicoehemical analysis of processed fluid milk indicated means of 3.24% fat, 3.30% protein, .73% ash, 4.56% lactose, 11.94% total solids, 8.69% solidsnot-fat, 6.59 pH, .14% titratable acidity, .95 acid degree value, 1.3493 refractive index, and 1.0327 specific gravity. Bacteriological analysis showed coliform, Salmonella spp., and Stapbylococcus aureus as main contaminants of raw milk. Bacillus cereus and Clostridiurn perfringens were also detectable but in smaller numbers. Pasteurized milk was of good bacteriological quality and free from detectable antibiotics.