Rodina village is in 70 km from the capital. It is the place where “Rodina” agricultural company, which provides nearby settlements including Astana, with all the necessary food is located. We visited the "Rodina" dairy plant and witnessed the dairy production process.
Was founded: in 2012
Production hall area: 483 m²
Dairy produced: milk, cream, sour cream, kefir, ryazhenka, cheese, sour-milk drink "Snezhok", butter
About raw materials preparation
The plant starts working at six in the morning, when a mechanic starts boilers. Newly drawn milk contains a large amount of harmful impurities and excessive foam, so it must be passed through the separation machine in order to get rid of them.
Bacteria contained in fresh milk are vanished in the process of pasteurization. That involves a one-time heating, creating conditions that are impossible for bacteria to survive in. Moreover, that makes the product term of storage last longer. The plant rejects the popular method of ultra-pasteurization. However great opportunity to keep the product for six months it gives, this procedure significantly harms the useful properties of the product.
These processes end by seven in the morning. Then the raw materials are passed through the cleaner until 11:00 am in order to get rid of the remaining impurities.
About the quality control
Each stage of production is accompanied by mandatory laboratory testing of samples. The test includes indicators such as heat resistance, density, acidity, fat content, consistency, taste and smell.
For example, thermal stability is checked by adding a solution with 75% alcohol concentration to the sample. If after that flakes appear in the milk, then the heat resistance is weak. To determine the optimum level of acidity, the products are filtered with alkali.
In addition, raw materials coming from other cities are checked for soda. It is often added in order to prevent the rapid spoilage of milk, but its availability significantly reduces the quality of the product.
The compliance of the fat concentration in the product with the indicator on the package is also checked. Fat content is a factor that depends on the cow, its physiology and feeding.
About the preparation process
Then the milk goes to the tanks, where the final product preparing process takes place. All tanks are suitable to make any product. Each product requires different temperature of cooling and the speed of stirring.
A special ferment is added into raw sour-milk products. Time needed to make the products sour vary: sour cream production requires 8 hours, while kefir production needs much longer fermentation process for 16 hours.
To make ryazhenka and cottage cheese additional measures are needed. Ryazhenka requires initial raw material be boiled to high temperatures, as a result it acquires its peculiar color. The mass is cooled and only then the ferment is added. The fermentation process takes eight hours.
To produce cottage cheese a continuous cooling is necessary (in addition to the actions mentioned). During that the product gets rid of the surplus contained. Accordind to the technology of making "Snezhok", an eight-hour fermentation process and sugar are required. All ready products are tested and the necessary packaging time is indicated by the laboratory technicians.
Products packaging are usually carried out in the evening. Simultaneously the mechanic takes milk from the evening milking and prepares raw materials for the next day.
Nowadays plenty of chemical additives and taste stimulants make consumers be aware of the food they buy. Therefore, “Rodina” workers have a special purpose not to screw over the consumers’ trust.