engleski

Collaboration between the Reference Laboratory for Milk and Dairy Products and the State Inspectorate in controlling the quality of milk and dairy products

The Reference Laboratory for Milk and Dairy Products plays an important role in controlling the quality of milk and dairy products on the Croatian market. The laboratory also analyses the components of milk and dairy products, which are listed on nutritional tables and declarations, using accredited methods in accordance with current legislation. During the period from 2018- 2021. as part of regular official controls of the State Inspectorate of the Republic of Croatia, 275 samples of milk and dairy products were sampled by the method of random selection from the retail network. For the purpose of official quality control, analyses were carried out to determine the basic physical and chemical composition of milk and dairy products, to validate the efficiency of milk pasteurization process, and to determine the adulteration of sheep’s and/or goat’s cheese with cow's milk. During the four-year period, the number of analysed samples which were submitted by the inspection ranged from a minimum of 55 (2019) to a maximum of 89 samples (2018). Out of a total of 275 analysed samples, 44 (16.0%) did not comply with legal regulations. In the observed period, the following were analysed: (i) 113 milk samples, of which 12 (10.6%) were non-compliant. Out of 113 analysed milk samples, the validation of the efficacy of milk pasteurization procedure was determined in 13, and not a single non-conformity was found ; (ii) 148 cheese samples, of which 32 (21.6%) did not comply with valid regulations. The examination of adulteration in cheeses labelled as products produced exclusively from sheep's and/or goat's milk, was carried out in 101 samples of cheese in which adulteration was proven in 12 cheeses (11.9%) and (iii) 14 samples of butter, of which all complied with the applicable legal regulations. The results of the analysis in the observed four- year period indicate the importance of systematic control for the purpose of public health and economic protection of consumers and those producers who follow good production practices. Preventing the appearance on the market of products that do not comply with legal regulations is one of the great challenges for all institutions participating in the implementation of inspection supervision.

milk, dairy products, adulteration, quality control, inspection

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