The dairy industry is, in many countries, a major contributor to the
manufacturing capacity of the food sector, and as more components of
milk are utilised in processed foods, so this importance is likely to
grow. Already dairy operations range from the straightforward handling
of liquid milk through to the production of highly sophisticated
consumer items, and it is of note that all this activity is based on a
raw material that is readily perishable at ambient temperatures. This
competitive, commercial position, together with the fact that the
general public has a high regard for dairy products, is an indication of
the extent to which milk producers and processors have combined to
ensure that retail prO(;lucts are both nutritious and hygienically
acceptable. Achievement of these aims, and at reasonable cost, has
depended in large measure on the advances that have been made in the
handling of large volumes of milk. Thus, factories designed to handle
millions of litres of milk per week are now commonplace, and it is the
plant and equipment involved that provides the factual background for
this two-volume book.