The aim of this course is to teach the concepts of quality and quality control in milk and dairy products, to introduce physical, chemical, and sensory analysis methods for raw milk and processed dairy products in a practical manner, and to enable the evaluation of factors affecting quality. The course also aims to equip students with the ability to perform standard quality analyses, interpret results, and scientifically assess the key parameters determining product quality in dairy systems.

This course covers the fundamental principles of quality and quality control, along with objective and subjective evaluation methods and direct and indirect analytical approaches used in determining quality levels. Raw milk analyses include specific gravity determination, detection of added water, identification of preservatives (soda, H²O²), and lactose analysis. In addition, basic compositional analyses such as total solids, fat, protein, pH, and acidity are examined. For pasteurized and UHT milk, alcohol, phosphatase, and peroxidase tests are used to evaluate heat treatment effectiveness, while microbial quality and homogenization control tests are also applied. Yogurt analyses include determination of total solids, fat, acidity, viscosity, water holding capacity, hardness, and detection of adulterants such as starch, gelatin, and milk powder. Cheese analyses focus on dry matter, fat, salt, acidity, and rennet strength, while butter, ice cream, and milk powder are also evaluated in terms of their physicochemical and technological quality parameters. The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of quality control processes in milk and dairy products through both theoretical and practical approaches.