In cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, CAHFS provides specialized dairy product quality testing in our Milk & Dairy Chemistry and Milk & Dairy Microbiology laboratories located at our San Bernardino laboratory.

Milk & Dairy Chemistry

CAHFS operates as the State of California's central reference laboratory for measuring dairy products for their wholesomeness and nutrient makeup. This quality assurance program ensures dairy products are compliant with regulations, protecting both the consumer and the producer.

CAHFS offers:

  • Highly trained technicians who participate in monthly national proficiency testing trials conducted by the USDA
  • The characterization of dairy products using standardized method from the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and from the Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products (SMEDP). These methods include the performance of the Babcock and Mojonnier tests for the analysis of fats, the analysis of proteins by the Kjeldahl method, and the performance of refractive index and infrared spectroscopy as well as wet chemistry methods for the determination of other milk quality characteristics
  • Weekly standard samples provided to private and regulatory labs for the calibration of dairy component-testing equipment so equitable payments can be made to producers

Contact CAHFS at 909-383-4287 prior to collecting samples, as certain collection and temperature requirements must be met.

Regulatory Milk & Dairy Microbiology

CAHFS operates as the State of California’s central reference laboratory to perform regulatory compliance testing on dairy products to ensure wholesomeness and safety for public consumption. As a member of the FDA’s Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) and Vet Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (VetLIRN), the Milk Quality lab is part of a network of trusted labs capable of responding to emergencies involving the biological contamination of dairy products.

CAHFS offers:

  • Experienced and qualified technicians who are proficient in FDA approved methods
  • Detection of antibiotic residues (beta-lactams, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, sulfonamides, chloramphenicols) or other antimicrobial (sanitizer) residues in milk products utilizing FDA-NCIMS approved methods to protect public health
  • Testing for aflatoxins in raw milk
  • Testing to evaluate microbial counts and ensure proper pasteurization of dairy products
  • Testing to help producers meet export requirements
  • Proficiency testing samples to laboratories and agencies both in California and out of state

Routine Mastitis Screening

Routine pathogen screening is performed at the UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Teaching & Research Center's Milk Quality Laboratory

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