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Extensive
quality checks and testing unique to the Canadian dairy
industry ensure high quality, safe and nutritious dairy
products. For more information download Milk Quality is Number 1 (pdf 648KB).
 Acrobat Reader required to view pdf, click here for free download if needed.
Canada has
strict standards of no antibiotics in milk. Growth
hormones such as BST or rBGH are not legal in Canada and
are not permitted for use with dairy cows.
Questions about raw milk? The Truth about Raw Milk (pdf 510KB)
Take Care of Your Milk (pdf 121KB) Ideal temperatures for milk storage.
Quality Checks
on Every BC Dairy Farm
- Every BC farm is inspected and certified before it can produce milk.
- Certified farms must meet provincial standards
for quality milk production and clean premises.
This inspection includes all milking equipment,
milking procedures, the milking parlour and barn
- everywhere the cows can go must be kept clean
and well maintained.
- Farms are inspected regularly to ensure that quality standards are maintained.
- Cows are monitored regularly to ensure good health. Only healthy cows produce optimal amounts of milk in the most economical way.
- Growth hormones such as BST or rBGH are not legal in Canada and, therefore, not permitted for use with dairy cows.
- As soon as milk leaves the cow it is cooled and is kept cold at all times.
- Before milk can be picked up, it must be inspected and graded by a licensed bulk milk tank grader. It is the grader's responsibility to ensure the milk is cold (below 4°C), smells fresh and looks clean.
- A milk sample is taken from every farm tank when the milk is picked up. This sample is then taken to a certified lab where it is tested for antibiotics.
- Milk is transported to the dairy in stainless steel tanker trucks. These trucks are also certified before they can carry milk and are inspected regularly.
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Quality Checks At Every BC Processing Plant
- Before the truckload of milk is unloaded at the dairy, it is tested a second time for antibiotics. This testing ensures that all products meet the strict standards of no antibiotics in milk. If antibiotics are found, the farmer who contaminated the load may be held responsible for paying for the entire load and risks the possibility of having his farming certification removed.
- The milk is also tested for temperature, acidity and odour before it is accepted.
- Other tests are done regularly for bacteria, water contamination and somatic cell counts. Somatic cell counts are an indicator of animal health and milk quality.
- All dairies are inspected regularly for cleanliness, handling procedures and equipment standards. All milk equipment is cleaned and sanitized daily.
- Every dairy and all employees who work in the processing area must be licensed.
- The law stipulates that all fluid milk sold
in Canada must be pasteurized. This is the law
and as such, it is necessary to kill any harmful
bacteria that may find their way into milk. Pasteurization
also destroys spoilage organisms.
- Milk is natural - nothing is added except
vitamins A and D, which are required by law.
- Milk is packaged quickly - usually within 24
hours of arriving at the dairy.
- Packaged dairy products are also regularly tested by a certified lab to ensure they meet the strict standards for composition and potential contaminants such as bacteria and antibiotics.
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Quality Checks at Every BC Grocery Store
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- Dairy products must be held at 4°C during
transport and display in the store, to ensure their
safety and quality.
- All dairy products are date-coded to ensure they are purchased at their highest quality. Dairy products not sold by their best before date are required to be removed from the sales shelf.
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Maintain High Quality at Home
- Keep milk cold - pick it up last when shopping
and avoid leaving it exposed to warm temperatures
or sunlight in your car.
- Check the temperature of your fridge to ensure it is below 4°C.
- Keep milk containers out of the fridge just long enough to serve. Return them to the fridge as soon as possible.
- Rotate milk and other dairy products; use older products first.
- Leave dairy products in original containers. They can pick up odours and flavours of other foods in the fridge if left open.
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Should I be concerned about antibiotics in milk?
No. Milk is one of the most tested and regulated foods in Canada. A sample is taken from every load of raw milk picked up at each farm. At the dairy, before milk is accepted, the milk is tested for antibiotics. If antibiotic residue is found, the entire load of milk is destroyed. The farmer who contaminated the load is identified from samples taken at the farm and is severely penalized.
Ideas for Action:
- Enjoy milk with the confidence that Canada's
testing system ensures the purity of milk.
- Visit a dairy farm. If you live in British Columbia, visit the Farm Tours page to see what farms in your area conduct tours.
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Did You Know?
- According to law1, only products approved under the Food and Drugs Act may be used with dairy animals. Absence of antibiotics must be confirmed by official methods set out by Health Canada. If antibiotics are found in a load of milk, the entire load must be discarded.
- When milk must be discarded, it is done in accordance with provincial waste management legislation to ensure environmental safety.
- Farmers take part in very successful quality production programs to prevent the need for antibiotics in the first place, and manage antibiotic treatment to avoid problems.
- Cows receiving antibiotic treatment are clearly identified by the dairy farmer. Milk from treated cows is destroyed at the farm and is not sent to the processing plant. To ensure that antibiotics have cleared the cow's system, farmers must allow for appropriate withdrawal periods for each drug before the cow's milk can enter the collection system.
- Intensive testing, heavy fines and ultimately the loss of one's farm license have virtually eliminated contaminated milk from reaching the dairy.
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