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Development of a database of cheese defects to improve the artisanal milk processing in farmhouse dairies
Project
Project code: EIP-Agri-MP-2018-LPTL01
Contract period: 01.01.2018
- 31.12.2020
Budget: 266,420 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: farming practice/activity, animal husbandry, food industry
In the last 20 years, the number of dairy farms in Hesse has decreased by about 70%, due to the existence-threatening low milk prices in the past. In order to counteract this development, pioneer farmhouse dairies founded an association for artisanal milk processing (VHM) in 1992. As an artisanal apprenticeship “cheesemaker” no longer exists and, therefore, the artisanal knowledge and skills are only available to a limited extent, the association “VHM” offers practical trainings and further education for farmhouse dairies. Artisanal milk processing is highly complex. Cheese defects, i.e. undesirable sensory properties, still pose enormous challenges for producers of farmhouse cheese. They may lead to batch faults and consequently to higher economic losses which amount to 5-30% of the annual turnover. The aim of the project is therefore to develop a user-friendly database of cheese defects as an analysis tool to sustainably improve the artisanal milk processing for more than 100 Hessian farmhouse dairies by documenting potential causes and strategies to prevent failures.
Section overview
Subjects
- Food Processing
- Computer science