United States Sediment Standards for Milk and Milk Products (September 1, 1977)

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Marketing and

Regulatory

Programs

Agricultural

Marketing 

Service

Dairy

Program

United States Sediment 

Standards for Milk and 

Milk Products

Effective September 1, 1977

(Reprinted - December 2018)
United States Sediment Standards for Milk and Milk Products (September 1, 1977)

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United States Sediment Standards for Milk and Milk Products (September 1, 1977)

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United States Sediment Standards for Milk and Milk Products

Section Page No.

§ 58.2726 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products. ....................... 4

§ 58.2728 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: Six 1c” 

diameter filtering area (coarse sediment)........................................................................ 4

§ 58.2729 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: Three 1c” 

diameter filtering area (coarse sediment)........................................................................ 5

§ 58.2730 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: Six 0.40" 

diameter filtering area (fine sediment)............................................................................. 5

§ 58.2731 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: Three 0.40" 

diameter filtering area (fine sediment)............................................................................. 5

§ 58.2732 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: For 0.10", 

0.14", and 0.20" diameter filtering areas (fine sediment)................................................. 6
United States Sediment Standards for Milk and Milk Products (September 1, 1977)

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§ 58.2726 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products.

(a) The standards contained in this section consist of ten (10) sediment discs, 

prepared as hereinafter indicated, each of which represents one of the following:

0 mg. of sediment.

0.025 mg. of sediment.

0.050 mg. of sediment.

0.075 mg. of sediment.

0.10 mg. of sediment.

0.20 mg. of sediment.

0.30 mg. of sediment.

0.50 mg. of sediment.

1.00 mg. of sediment.

2.50 mg. of sediment.

(b) Each sediment disc was prepared in accordance with the procedure set forth in 

paragraph 9.04 of the publication “Standard Methods for the Examination of 

Dairy Products,” Ninth Edition, 1948, published by the American Public Health 

Association, 1790 Broadway, New York, New York. To facilitate the use and 

availability of these standards, a composite photograph of the ten (10) sediment 

discs is made a part hereof;1 and a copy of the photograph may be obtained, 

upon request, from Dairy Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.

§ 58.2728 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: Six 11/8” 

diameter filtering area (coarse sediment).

(a) The standards contained in this section consist of six (6) sediment discs 

prepared as hereinafter indicated, each of which is numbered consecutively 0 to 

5 representing one of the following amounts of sediment on a 11/8” diameter 

filtering area.

0--0.0 mg.

1--0.5 mg.

2--1.5 mgs.

3--2.5 mgs.

4--3.0 mgs.

5--6.0 mgs.

(b) Each sediment disc was prepared from “coarse” sediment in accordance with the 

procedure set forth in paragraph 15.06 of “Standard Methods for the Examination 

of Dairy Products,” Eleventh Edition 1960, published by the American Public 

Health Association, 1790 Broadway, New York, New York. To facilitate the use 
United States Sediment Standards for Milk and Milk Products (September 1, 1977)

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and availability of these standards, a composite photograph of the six (6) 

sediment discs is attached hereto and made a part hereof.

§ 58.2729 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: Three 

11/8” diameter filtering area (coarse sediment).

The standards contained in this section are those most commonly used for the 

examination of raw milk by the “off the-bottom method,” and are the same three (3) 

sediment discs numbered as 1, 2 and 3 showing 0.5 mg., 1.5 mgs., and 2.5 mgs. of 

sediment, respectively, as designated in §58.2728. To facilitate the use and availability 

of these standards, a composite photograph of these three (3) sediment discs is 

attached hereto and made a part hereof.

§ 58.2730 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: Six 0.40" 

diameter filtering area (fine sediment).

(a) The standards contained in this section consist of six (6) sediment discs 

prepared as hereinafter indicated, each of which is numbered 0 to 5 representing 

one of the following amounts of sediment on a 0.40 inch diameter filtering area 

and is equivalent to the respective amounts of sediment on the 1c inch diameter 

filtering area as described in §58.2728:

0--00 mg. (0.0 mg. equivalent)

1--0.0625 mg. (0.5 mg. equivalent)

2--0.1875 mg. (1.5 mgs. equivalent)

3--0.3125 mg. (2.5 mgs. equivalent)

4--0.3750 mg. (3.0 mgs. equivalent)

5--0.7500 mg. (6.0 mgs. equivalent)

(b) Each sediment disc was prepared from “fine” sediment in accordance with the

procedure set forth in paragraph 15.07 of “Standard Methods for the Examination 

of Dairy Products,” Eleventh Edition 1960. To facilitate the use and availability of 

these standards, a composite photograph of the six (6) sediment discs is 

attached hereto and made a part hereof.

§ 58.2731 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: Three 

0.40" diameter filtering area (fine sediment).

The standards contained in this section are those most commonly used for the 

examination of raw milk by the “stirred sample method” and are the same three (3) 

sediment discs numbered as 1, 2 and 3 showing 0.0625 mg., 0.1875 mg., and 0.3125 

mg. of sediment, respectively, as designated in §58.2730. To facilitate the use and 

availability of these standards, a composite photograph of these three (3) sediment 

discs is attached hereto and made a part hereof.
United States Sediment Standards for Milk and Milk Products (September 1, 1977)

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§ 58.2732 United States sediment standards for milk and milk products: For 0.10", 

0.14", and 0.20" diameter filtering areas (fine sediment).

(a) The standards contained in this section consist of three series of four (4) 

sediment discs prepared as hereinafter indicated, each of which is numbered 0 to 

3 representing one of the following amounts of sediment on a 0.10 inch, 0.14 

inch, and 0.20 inch filtering area and is equivalent to the respective amounts of 

sediment on the 11/8 inch diameter filtering area as described in §58.2728:

0.10 inch diameter filtering area.

0--0.0 mg. (0.0 mg. equivalent).

1--0.0039 mg. (0.50 mg. equivalent).

2--0.0118 mg. (1.50 mgs. equivalent).

3--0.0196 mg. (2.50 mgs. equivalent).

0.14 inch diameter filtering area.

0--0.0 mg. (0.0 mg. equivalent).

1--0.0078 mg. (0.50 mg. equivalent).

2--0.0235 mg. (1.50 mgs. equivalent).

3--0.0391 mg. (2.50 mgs. equivalent).

0.20 inch diameter filtering area.

0--0.0 mg. (0.0 mg. equivalent).

1--0.0156 mg. (0.50 mg. equivalent).

2--0.0469 mg. (1.50 mgs. equivalent).

3--0.0781 mg. (2.50 mgs. equivalent).

(b) Each sediment disc was prepared from “fine” sediment in accordance with the

procedure set forth in paragraph 15.07 of “Standard Methods for the Examination 

of Dairy Products,” Eleventh Edition, 1960 and paragraph 17.4, thirteenth edition, 

1972. To facilitate the use and availability of these standards, a composite visual 

aid of the three series of four (4) sediment discs is attached hereto and made a 

part hereof.