TAS 6401-xxxx  
THAI AGRICULTURAL STANDARD  
GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES FOR MILK COLLECTION CENTER  
 
 1.   SCOPE 
 
This standard establishes requirements for good manufacturing p ractices of milk collection center, 
starting from raw milk receiving, cooling, storage, to transpor tation, including farming extension in 
order to obtain raw milk with quality suitable for processing i nto product that meets the standard and 
is safe for consumers.   
2.   DEFINITIONS 
For the purpose of this standard: 
 
2.1 Raw milk  means milk produced from cow not less than three days after cal ving, and free from 
colostrum without either addition to it or extraction from it  and not subject to any form of 
processing, except cooling.  
 
2.2 Milk Collection Center (MCC) means an establishment where milk is received and collected 
from members whereby the milk is cooled down prior to deliverin g to the processing plants or other 
milk collection centers. This does not include the farm equippe d with cooling tank.  
 
2.3 Milk collecting area means an area in MCC designed to facilitat e receiving and inspection and 
holding of milk. It is equipped with equipment and utensils tha t are hygienic.  
 
2.4 Milk collecting equipment means specifically designed equipment  for milk collecting, consisting 
of receiving vessels, collecting vessels, filter system, pipeli nes, pumps, storage tanks and other 
related equipment and utensils.  
 
2.5 Plate heat exchanger (PHE) means a set of devices used for the immediate reduction of milk 
temperature through heat exchanging principle.  
 
2.6 Storage tank  means a specifically designed container used for milk storage, divided into: 
 
2.6.1 Storage tank without cooling system means tank is designe d to store and maintain the 
temperature of pre-cooled milk 
 
2.6.2 Storage tank with cooling system (cooling tank) means tan k is designed with built-in cooling 
system to reduce and maintain the temperature of milk. 
 
2.7 Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) means a method of cleaning of inter ior surfaces of containers, 
transferring pipelines and/or equipment of the whole system ass ociated with the storage of raw milk 
without disassembly.   
 
2.8 Member  means a dairy farmer who is registered as a member and commits to deliver produce 
only to a MCC. The farmer shall not register in duplication wit h other MCCs.   TAS 6401-XXXX                                                   2 
 
2.9 Traceability/product tracing  means the ability to follow the movement of a food through 
specified stage(s) of production, processing and distribution. 
3. REQUIREMENTS    
Requirements of Good Manufacturi ng Practices for Milk Collectio n Center are shown in table 1. 
Table 1 Items and requirements of Good Manufacturing Practices for  
Milk Collection Center  
Items Requirements 
1. Establishment and 
Facilities 
1.1 Location  
 
Locate in the area with environment that poses no risk of 
contamination causing any adve rse effect to the quality of milk  and the 
safety of consumer. In case of potential risk, preventive measu res shall 
be in place. 
1.2 Building 1.2.1 Structure of the building shall be sturdy, easy to clean and 
maintain, and able to prevent cross contamination that cause ad verse 
effect to the quality of milk and the safety of consumers. 
1.2.2 The building and surrounding areas are clean. 
1.2.3 Interior building design and processing lines layout shal l 
facilitate hygienic practices to reduce contamination during op eration 
that cause adverse effect to the safety of consumers. 
1.2.4 Availability of adequate areas for operation, proper sepa rate into 
areas for milk receiving, quality control and testing, installe d machine, 
chemical storage and office. 
1.3 Equipment and utensils 1.3.1 There shall be adequate numbers of equipment and utensils , 
appropriately installed to facilitate operation and cleaning. 
1.3.2 Pumps, valves, piping system and hoses shall be durable, clean 
and hygienic. Particularly, the parts that direct contact with milk shall 
be made of permitted materials, non corrosive and chemically no n 
reactive with milk. They  can be cleaned thoroughly.  
1.3.3 Milk hoses and water hoses, including pipelines and other  
utensils used jointly with such hoses shall be clearly separate d 
according to their purposes of use. 
1.3.4 Milk receiving vessels shall be hygienic and convenient f or use 
with adequate quantity for each receiving.  
1.3.5 Milk receiving equipment shall be clean, adequate quantit y and 
appropriate for use. 
1.3.6 Milk storage tank, pipes and valves shall be designed and  
installed to facilitate thoroughly cleaning and disinfection , including 
complete liquid draining.  
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 1.3.7 Equipment for weighing and measuring, which are important  for 
operation, shall be precise and accurate. Such equipment shall be 
calibrated at least once a year and verified periodically .  
1.4 Facilities 1.4.1 Operation room shall have adequate lighting. 
1.4.2 Availability of adequate ventilation for operation. 
1.4.3 Availability of adequate cleaning facilities. 
1.4.4 Availability of adequate personal hygiene facilities and toilets. 
1.4.5  Availability of adequate space, area and facilities for washing  
empty  milk cans.  
1.5 Utility system 1.5.1 Availability of power system  with adequate power supply. 
1.5.2 Lighting is adequate and installed in hygienic manner. 
1.5.3 Availability of back up power generator or  appropriate m easures 
for milk management during the blackout. 
1.5.4 Water, either in contact with milk or surface in contact with 
milk, shall be of potable water quality according to the Notifi cation of 
the Ministry of Public Health. Water supply at the MCC shall be  
adequate. 
1.5.5 Water used, otherwise, in production areas shall be clean  o r  
treated as necessary. 
1.5.6 Water shall be tested for its quality according to the st andard at 
least once a year. 
2. Control Operation 
2.1 Milk receiving   
2.1.1 Milk quality specifications and receiving inspection proc edures 
shall be established. 
2.1.2 In case of receiving milk from other milk collectors or M CC, 
milk temperature shall not be higher than 8 ○C 
2.1.3 Measures for control of delivery time of milk from farm t o MCC 
shall be in place.   
2.1.4 Milk shall be managed for rapid temperature reduction pro cess.  
 
2.2 Milk temperature 
reduction 2.2.1 Milk cooling system shall have  adequate cooling capacity  for 
milk volume. 
 2.2.2 In case of using PHE to reduce temperature after milk rec eived, 
milk temperature shall be reduced to not higher than 4 ○C immediately 
after passing through the PHE. In case of using storage tank eq uipped 
with cooling system, milk temperature shall not be higher than 4○C 
within 2 hours.  
 2.2.3 Availability of water quality control and filtration in t he cooling 
water pipeline system. 
TAS 6401-XXXX                                                   4 
2.2.4 Temperature measurement device for water inlet-outlet and  milk 
outlet shall be installed at a position and function properly. 
2.2.5 Times and cold water temperatures before and during milk temperature reduction shall be recorded. 
2.2.6 Times and milk temperatures during temperature reduction shall 
be recorded. 
2.3 Milk storage 2.3.1 Store milk in clean storage tanks that can prevent milk f rom 
contamination. 
2.3.2 Storage tank shall maintain milk temperature effectively.  Milk 
temperature shall be recorded periodically. 
2.4 Milk quality inspection 2.4.1 Availability of milk quality inspection/testing plan and 
implement accordingly. 
2.4.2 Apparatus for milk quality inspection and testing shall m eet the 
standard. 
2.4.3 Availability of technically sound methods and proper appa ratus 
for milk sampling.  
3. Maintenance and sanitation  
3.1 Cleaning  
3.1.1 Measures on cleaning for operation buildings and surround ing 
areas shall be in place. 
3.1.2 Appropriate measures on cleaning for equipment and utensi ls 
including disassemble parts or others, apart from the CIP syste m shall 
be in place.  
3.2 Cleaning In Place (CIP) 3.2.1 Adequate and appropriate CIP systems for thorough and 
effective cleaning shall be in place. 
3.2.2 Availability of  manual and record of CIP system operatio n for 
both equipment and milk transport vehicles, i.e. duration of cl eaning, 
temperature, concentration of chemicals used and chemicals and water 
flow rates.  
3.2.3 Temperature measurement devices shall be installed in the  CIP 
system at the appropriate position that functions properly and accurately. 
3.2.4  Concentration of chemicals shall be checked at each appl ication. 
3.2.5 Chemical residues in the system shall be properly inspect ed. 
3.3 Maintenance of 
equipment and utensils Inspection and maintenance programmes of equipment and utensils  
shall be available.. 
3.4 Pest Control Pest control measures shall be in place. 
3.5 Chemical 
Management 3.5.1 Non food chemicals, i.e. cleaning agents, lubricant inclu ding 
their containers shall be managed properly. 
5                                                   TAS 6401-XX XX                   
3.5.2 Chemicals shall be separately stored and clearly labelled . 
3.6 Waste water and 
waste management 3.6.1 Waste water treatment procedures before discharging into public 
water resources shall be provided. 
3.6.2 Appropriate disposal procedures of garbage and waste shal l be 
available. 
4. Personal Hygiene 4.1 Personnel including those engaged in milk transport  shall behave 
and operate in hygienic manner and have medical examination onc e a 
year. 
4.2 Personnel shall properly maintain their personal cleanlines s during 
operation, such as wearing protective clothing, hair covering, and 
mask. 
4.3 Visitor who enters the operation area shall adhere to perso nal 
hygiene provisions. 
5. Transportation 
5.1 Milk 
transportation management  
  
5.1.1 Milk transport tanker shall be insulated to maintain milk  
temperature not higher than 8○C at its destination. 
5.1.2 Prepare milk transporting appropriately and hygienically.  Record 
the relevant information. 
5.1.3 Standard sampling method shall be provided. Milk from transport vehicle shall be sampled for quality inspection befor e leaving 
the MCC. In case of non compliance, corrective actions shall be  
performed. 
5.1.4 Control the milk during transportation to the processing plant. 
6. Traceability 
6.1 Milk traceability 
system  
6.1.1 Availability of traceability system for its sources of in coming 
milk and their delivered destination. 
6.1.2 Availability of management for customer complaint.   
7. Training 7.1 Personnel shall be trained on their capability related to r oles and 
responsibilities such as production processes, hygiene, and mil k 
quality inspection. 
7.2 Availability of personnel training programmes and evaluatio ns. 
TAS 6401-XXXX                                                   6 
8. Farming extension  
system for members 
8.1 Individual farm 
Extension 
 
  
 
8.1.1 Updating member registration and farm data shall be made 
available. Milk shall be received from registered farm only. Ea ch 
member shall be registered to only one MCC, without duplication . 
8.1.2 Availability of extension personnel and activities to imp rove 
milk quality production for members e.g. training. 
8.2 Individual farm member evaluation 8.2.1 Availability of milk quality evaluation system  for membe rs. 
8.2.2 Farm members shall be informed of milk quality and evalua tion 
results. 
8.3 Milk quality 
encouragement  for member 8.3.1 Milk receiving period shall be scheduled.  
8.3.2 Purchased price of milk shall be according to quality. 
9. Documentation 
and records 9.1 The following data shall be recorded : 
      - Treatment of water used in production processes  and wa ter 
quality test results (Sections1.5.5 and 1.5.6)  
      - Calibration of equipment for weighing and measuring (Se ction 
1.3.7) 
         - Control operation for milk receiving, temperature reduction, 
temperature records, quality inspection, storage and transporta tion 
(Sections 2 and 5) 
      - Milk quality inspection results in processing steps  (S ections 2.4) 
      - Cleaning and maintenance of equipment and utensils,  bu ildings 
and surrounding areas (Sections3.1 and 3.3) 
      - CIP system (Section 3.2)       - Pests control and chemicals management  (Sections 3.4 a nd 3.5) 
      - Personal hygiene (Section 4)        - Training records (Section 7) 
      - Activities  of faming extension system and milk quality  
evaluation results  (Section 8) 
9.2 Records shall be kept for at least 3 years.