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Dairy

The world’s milk consumption in 2004 was about 616 million tonnes; growth of about 10 million tonnes per annum is forecast. Milk is the world’s most important and versatile food. Consumers expect dairy products to be pure, natural, fresh and wholesome. In countries where the basic requirement for dairy products is met, expectations of their variety and convenience rise. If one adds in the strict standards imposed by food regulations and the trade, clear basic requirements to be met in milk production and processing emerge.

Hygiene, storage quality, processes not detrimental to the product, optimal cooling of raw, intermediate and finished products. Global competition requires producers and processors to employ economical, reliable and flexible process management and to apply the most up-to-date technical standards.

GEA’s process technology is improving the processing of the ‘white gold’ world-wide. The spectrum over which GEA components, systems and plant are used ranges from hygienic milking of dairy cattle through nondetrimental treatment of the milk, cheesemaking and protein extraction, to the unbroken cooling chain and conditioning of indoor air in production facilities and supermarket stores.

The GEA speciality companies are opening up new and high-yielding segments by targeted innovation in, among other things, cold milk separation and protein extraction. The introduction into food and cheese production of modern clean-room technology is opening up market opportunities for GEA. This technology makes it possible for example to produce deep-frozen semi-finished and finished products with distinctly improved freshness and durability properties – importantly, without additional chemical preservatives.

In this promising market segment GEA customers are benefiting from complete modular clean-room systems, which are also suitable for modernising existing processing facilities.