Food Safety at the Dairy & Grocery Store

The safety of dairy products in the United States is overseen through a cooperative program involving the FDA, state regulators and the dairy industry, which enforces the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO). This model regulation contains an extensive set of requirements for milk production and processing and is the basis for ensuring the safety of our milk supply. Working with the FDA and state regulators, the nation's dairy industry ensures that milk is produced and processed in a safe and sanitary manner and leaves their facilities free of any possible disease causing organisms.

Testing each load of milk

Every single shipment of milk that enters a dairy processing plant is tested for a variety of safety and quality factors. Any milk that does not meet these stringent standards is immediately discarded and the farm that is the source of the milk is identified and pays for the cost of the entire shipment. According to the most recent studies, less than 0.1% of all shipments do not meet federal standards. In addition to this regular testing regimen, federal, state and local regulatory agencies make frequent and unannounced on-site inspections of each dairy processor and dairy farms.

The importance of pasteurization

French doctor and scientist Louis Pasteur invented the process of pasteurization more than a century ago. Since its discovery, pasteurization has safeguarded much of our food supply, including milk and dairy products.

By heating the incoming refrigerated raw milk in specially-designed equipment, pasteurization ensures the safety and wholesomeness of the product while not affecting the quality or taste of the milk. Once pasteurized, milk and milk products are then routinely tested for product quality and safety. Most fluid milk in the United States is required to be pasteurized, and if it's not pasteurized, it's required to be labeled as raw milk. Most domestic fresh and soft cheeses are also pasteurized. Hard cheeses aged longer than 60 days do not require pasteurization.

For more information on pasteurization, click here: [LINK]

Rapid Cooling

Once it has been pasteurized, milk is rapidly chilled to between 38 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit until it is packaged. This rapid cooling helps to keep the milk as fresh as possible. To maintain freshness, milk is constantly refrigerated until the consumer puts it in his or her shopping cart. Similarly, milk should be refrigerated at home until it's ready to be used.

At the Grocery Store

Every carton of milk sold in the United States is clearly labeled with either a "sell by" or "use by" date. These dates tell you how long you can keep and use the milk you buy. The "sell by" date refers to how long a grocery store can keep the product in the dairy case. If kept refrigerated, milk will stay fresh for two or three days after the "sell by" date. The "use by" date shows how long the product will stay fresh at home.