THE HUNGARIAN MILK CONTROLLING BOARD IS 5 YEARS OLD

In 1992, a new milk control system was introduced in Hungary with the purpose to improve the quality of ex-farm raw milk, as a raw material, as well as the hygiene of milk processing and to approach the demands of the European Union. Milk Controlling Board was established to perf orm these duties in Hungary. The tasks of the Board was to control and supervise the control of raw milk, as well as the co-ordination of th e maintenance and execution of milk hygienic regulations and investiga tion of the hygienic suitability of milk processing plants exporting t o the European Union. In Hungary, a new code system was introduced for the registration of milk suppliers, milk producing farms and milk col lecting units in 1993. In 1996, 85% of the milk processed were bought up through 1158 milk collecting units on 1048 large-scale farms while 15% of that originated from 30 000 small farmers. Of the collected mil k, trained and authorized people collected samples three times a month and these samples are examined in the Raw Milk Qualifying Laboratorie s (in Hungary, there are 4 such laboratories). Total germ counts of mi lk was < 100 000 in case of 88.7% of milk purchased up from large-scal e farms and 11% of the milk collecting units, the somatic cell counts were < 400 000 in case of 88.8% and 52%, respectively, while the respe ctive values for the presence of inhibitors in the milk were 0.56% and 2.53% and the freezing point of milk was -0.515 degrees C or higher i n case of 2.3% and 13.8%, respectively. Characteristics of raw milk (t otal germ counts, somatic cell counts, etc.) found in Hungary between 1984 and 1997 are seen in Figures 1 to 5. The responsible veterinary a uthorities, the capital and county Veterinary and Food Control Station s, excluded from the milk collection the producers of milk with higher then 10(6) cell/cm(3), in 1996 170 cases. In 24 cases due to the repe ated demonstration of inhibiting materials in the milk during a calend ar quarter year, in 42 cases due to > 10(6) bacterium/cm(3) for the fo urth time. Since July 1st, 1997, the control of milk collecting units is obligatory. From that time on, they will be suspended when the soma tic cell counts are > 10(6) cell/cm3, the germ counts > 10(6) bacteriu m/cm(3), as well as due to the presence of inhibiting materials or rep eated demonstration of foreign water. A further task of the Board is t he hygienic control of exporting milk processing units in collaboratio n with the responsible local authorities. Control of units reported to the EU is systematic.