The Challenge of Yogurt Vat Acidification
Yogurt fermentation relies on live bacteria converting lactose to lactic acid. The fermentation must be stopped by rapid cooling when the acidity reaches a precise target (typically pH 4.5 or 0.90% titratable acidity). If the cooling cycle starts too late, the yogurt becomes sour and watery; if too early, it lacks texture. Manual sampling exposes the vat to contamination.
Clean-In-Place (CIP) In-Line Probes
USTECH sanitary stainless steel reflection probes are mounted directly into the yogurt fermentation tank. They remain in place during the hot caustic Clean-In-Place (CIP) cycle, maintaining sterile calibration validity. The live acidity metrics are mapped directly to SCADA alerts.
References
- "In-Line Spectroscopic Tracking of Lactate and pH Dynamics during High-Volume Yogurt Fermentations," Food Microbiology and Biotech, 2024.