State-of-the-art heat transfer technologies are enhancing functionality and making equipment selection increasingly important. 

As a relatively stable Newtonian fluid, liquid milk presents few handling challenges, something which has resulted in the use of simple plate-type heat exchangers in the majority of dairies. However, other dairy products, such as yogurt, butter, curds and cheese can all vary according to temperature and, if handled incorrectly, may have their key textural parameters damaged by routine processing.

The high temperature/short time pasteurization process has been a reliable workhorse in dairies for years. But there are alternative technologies that treat raw milk without heat. Some are in use in other countries.

 The time and temperature used to pasteurize raw milk affects the taste. Upkeep and maintenance affect the durability and lifetime of equipment. Vendors share their best practice recommendations.