Throughout the world, milk and milk products are indispensable components of the food chain. Not only do individual consumers use liquid milk for beverages and cooking, but food manufacturers use vast quantities of milk powder, concentrated milks, butter, and cream as raw materials for further processing. Effective quality assurance in the dairy industry is needed now more than ever.

Late in the 19th and early in the 20th century, consumption of raw milk was often associated with typhoid fever, diphtheria, scarlet fever, septic sore throat, undulant fever, and tuberculosis. Microbiologists of that time strove to improve the situation. In time they succeeded and in doing so gave rise to the discipline of dairy bacteriology. Dairy microbiologists, through teaching and research, improved both the safety and quality of milk and products made from milk. In time, the expertise of dairy microbiologists was sought to solve problems in other segments of the food industry, and the broader field of food microbiology was born. Dairy microbiologists, through teaching and research, served to characterize and control spoilage of dairy foods, provide the consumer with an array of fermented and unfermented dairy foods, and assure the safety of such foods.

The present book provides thorough coverage of dairy microbiology principles as well as practical applications including the latest developments in dairy starter cultures and genetic engineering techniques. The book also offers completely updated standards for good manufacturing practice, quality control and product development practices.