ABSTRACT
The purpose of automation is to increase process efficiency, safety, productivity, and product quality. This is generally achieved by means of a control system that has been "programmed" with a set of instructions. Process parameters such as temperature and pressure were originally controlled by human operators. In the 1940s pneumatic instrumentation was developed to sense process parameters and provide feedback control. Heating and cooling are essential steps in all dairy processing operations. Selective control of microbial growth or lethality is achieved by appropriately heating and/or cooling the product. The objective of pasteurization is to inactivate spoilage microorganisms so that the milk will be safe and will have a longer shelf life than its unpasteurized counterpart. Homogenization is the process by which the stability of milk fat emulsion is improved by decreasing the average diameter of milk fat globules.
