MILK & CREAM: PROCESSING MILK PRODUCTS

While milk forms the basis of a huge range of dairy products, food ingredients and dietary supplements, the market for fresh and longer-life liquid milks and creams now also encompasses diverse options for every taste and dietary need. We can choose from probiotic milk drinks, fat-free, high-protein and lactose-free products, or ‘wellness’ milks containing e.g. matcha.

Consumers expect their favorite milk and cream products to contain key nutrition, and to offer fresh tastes. Rapidly changing markets mean that manufacturers must remain agile to keep up with the pace and develop healthy new formulations with natural ingredients.

GEA has worked with the dairy industry since 1893, and offers world-leading expertise in all areas of dairy processing. We understand that flexibility, reliability and sustainability are key imperatives for today’s market milk manufacturers. Our goal is to make your manufacturing more efficient, hygienic and environmentally sound, by offering state-of-the-art components, equipment and process lines. We work with you at every stage to configure and install optimized plants for all types of fresh, extended-shelf-life (ESL), UHT milk and cream products, however complex the process, and whatever the scale. And you know that consistent, precisely controlled milk treatment means increased efficiency, lower product losses and waste, and better quality.

Our knowhow spans every stage, from milk and ingredients reception, milk separation, treatment and standardization, through to filling, automation and process control. As a single-source supplier our user-friendly, end-to-end-process lines or green field plants give you the confidence of seamless integration and fewer bottlenecks both for batch and continuous processing. We take care of every detail, including the configuration of robust, long-lifespan valves and space-saving, hygienic pipework.

Customers worldwide rely on our dedicated portfolio of separation systems, pasteurization units, and energy-efficient steam injection and infusion UHT solutions. Our innovative Proplus skimming technology integrated into separator systems can achieve significantly higher milk protein yields, with less use of fresh water and waste water. All GEA separators are equipped with the hydrosoft system, which operates at reduced pressures and low shear forces, resulting in higher separation efficiency and increased productivity, while reducing equipment maintenance and wear costs, and increasing service life. Boost yield from your milk even further using the Standomat standardization technology, which includes three precise flow meters to maximize the amount of separated cream from raw milk, as well monitor and regulate process specifications, and reduce the need for laboratory checks.

Microfiltration, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis plants from GEA are world-recognized for their versatility in all areas of milk processing and concentration. And innovations including our heat and water recovery systems, direct-drive separator and clean-in-place plants further improve efficiency, reliability and run time, and optimize the use of resources. Our smart solutions help to speed return on key investments and meet environmental sustainability goals.