CHAPTER X 

 STERILIZING 



THE most important sanitary process on the 

 dairy farm is sterilizing. Milk utensils are com- 

 monly soiled with old milk or dirty water in which 

 bacteria multiply enormously. Every surface milk 

 touches when it leaves the dairy cow adds bacteria 

 to it, if such surface is unsterilized. Pails, cans, 

 coolers, tanks, vats, stirring rods, add enormous 

 numbers of bacteria to milk if they have been 

 soiled with milk left over from previous milking. 



The strainer of wire or of cloth is without 

 doubt the most dangerous weapon in the entire 

 dairy industry, and responsible for more bacteria 

 in milk than any other one thing. 



The washing and sterilizing process consists 

 of several important operations. 



COLD WATER RINSE 



Immediately after use a cold-water rinse should 

 be applied to all utensils touched by milk, as 



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