Temperature variations in farm milk transported under subtropical conditions

Abstract

The mean temperature increase in milk during transport in cans in motor vehicles for 25-40 miles from farm to factory, with air temperatures of 73.2-86.0°F, was 6-10°F. A total of 7.3 per cent. of samples exhibited an increase of 20° or more, 29.2 per cent. an increase of 10-19 °, 54.3 per cent. an increase of 0-9 °, and 9 .2 per cent. a temperature decrease during transit. For milk in cans completely protected from air currents, rate-of-heating constants were 0.0096 and 0.0118, in comparison with 0.0223 for milk in cans transported in a vehicle with an open-slat superstructure. Temperature increases of milk in sealed vehicles were approximately 2-4 °F lower than those of milk in open-slat vehicles. Can position in the vehicle affected the temperature change. Milk temperature of "inside" cans increased at a lower rate than that of milk in "outside" cans.