Fax: 028 9263 3003
Operations Centre
Lissue House
31 Ballinderry Road
LISBURN
Northern Ireland
BT28 2SL
Hygiene And Food Safety
Milk storage facility – The dairy
The dairy must be clean and tidy and be clear of rubbish, any products or chemicals not in constant use or any feedstuffs. The dairy must also have facilities to enable it to be secured when unattended.
Items checked may include: Doors, walls, floors, ceilings, beams, windows, lights, hand washing and drying facilities. The dairy will also be checked for absence of vermin, insects and farm dogs and cats.
Milk Storage
The equipment used for cooling the milk will be inspected. Cleanliness, both internally and externally will be assessed and the ability of the equipment to cool the milk sufficiently.
Milk collection
The area where the collection takes place must be clean and unobstructed. There must be light available to facilitate safe milk collection.
Milking parlour
The inspector will check that the parlour is clean and tidy and free from dust and dirt. The ceilings, beams, floors, walls and fixtures and fittings will be checked. The ducts, jars, clusters and pipework will also be inspected.
The lights will be checked to ensure they are adequate and that they have protective coverings in place. The parlour will also be checked for absence of vermin, insects and farm dogs and cats.
Cow cleanliness and milk inspection
The procedure for ensuring cows udders are clean and dry prior to milking will be assessed. The availability of potable water, the system for checking each cows milk prior to milking and the method used to ensure unsuitable milk is separated if unfit for human consumption will be inspected.
General Hygiene
This section covers the hygiene of the stockperson at milking, provision of hand washing facilities and the procedure for dealing with cuts and wounds during milking. Both the dairy and the parlour must be identified as ‘no smoking’ zones.
Chemicals
Any chemicals not in use must be securely stored in a separate area, these must not be kept in the parlour or dairy, including paints and preservatives. Data sheets for chemicals currently in use will be checked to ensure these directions are followed.
Temperature Testing
A suitable method of checking the temperature of the water used during the wash cycle must be available.
Water Quality
The provision of a sufficient supply of clean and potable water will be checked and test results of water tests carried out must be available.