2019 Grassi Foods
Control and Monitoring of Milk Renneting Using FT-NIR Spectroscopy as a Process Analytical Technology Tool
Grassi S., Strani L., Casiraghi E., Alamprese C.
The modern dairy industry requires improved process efficiency and final product quality, calling for the automation of the control systems to be implemented along the production line. In particular, milk coagulation control results crucial to prevent decreased production yield, anomalous behaviour of cheese during storage, failures in cheese quality, and process wastes.
Thus, this study proposes a green approach based on infrared spectroscopy as a tool to control milk coagulation in-line. The multivariate analysis of the data acquired monitoring fifteen renneting batches – performed under different technological conditions - allowed the development of Multivariate Statistical Process Control charts for the early detection of possible coagulation failures.
This kind of industrial control systems perfectly fit with the Industry 4.0 roadmap towards a fully digital enterprise.
