Food Safety

The new standards have been better aligned with international regulations and require raw milk to:

• Be cooled to 10ºC or below within four hours of the commencement of milking; and
• Be cooled to 6ºC or below within the sooner of:
  
  
  • Six hours from the commencement of milking, or
  • Two hours from the completion of milking; and
• Be held at or below 6ºC without freezing until the collection or the next milking; and
• Not exceed 10ºC during subsequent milkings.

In situations where there is continuous or extended milking, such as automated milking systems, the milk must enter the bulk milk tank at 6°C or below. "Continuous or extended milking" is defined as milking for six hours or longer from the time that milk first enters any bulk milk tank.

You may need to seek advice from your refrigeration specialist, milking machine specialist and/or electrician as there is not a ‘one-size fits all’ solution. Factors such as daily milk volume, peak flows, primary cooling water temperature, access to water and access to increased power requirements on each farm may determine if any changes are needed and the cost involved.

We recommend that you act earlier rather than later to assess your milk cooling system. If you need to make changes, an early assessment will ensure you are less likely to face higher costs and longer waiting times for refrigeration suppliers and equipment.

If you have any questions on MPI’s new standards for milk cooling, please get in touch with your Co-operative Services Are Manager or the Farmer Support team on 0800 65 65 68.