Question

The function of clarifiers is

• A. Removal of dense foreign matter, dirt, cellular debris
• B. Separation of fat and skim milk
• C. Removal of fat
• D. Recovery of whey protein soilds

Hint:

Remember the difference between a Clarifier and a Separator: a {Clarifier} has one inlet and one outlet (for cleaned milk), its goal is to remove solids. A {Cream Separator} has one inlet and two outlets (one for cream, one for skim milk), its goal is to separate fat.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
A clarifier is a piece of dairy processing equipment that uses centrifugal force to clean raw milk before further processing.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
A clarifier is a centrifuge specifically designed to remove solid impurities from milk. When milk is spun at high speed, the components separate based on their density.
(A) Removal of dense foreign matter...: Solid particles like dirt, dust, straw, as well as biological material like somatic cells (leucocytes) and bacterial clumps, are denser than the milk serum. The centrifugal force throws these particles to the outer wall of the centrifuge bowl, where they collect as a sludge. This is the primary function of a clarifier.
(B) & (C) Separation/Removal of fat: This is the function of a cream separator, which is a different type of centrifuge designed with discs to efficiently separate the less dense fat (cream) from the denser skim milk. A clarifier is not designed for this.
(D) Recovery of whey protein solids: This is typically done using membrane filtration techniques like ultrafiltration, not clarification.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The main function of a clarifier is to clean milk by removing denser impurities such as dirt and cellular debris.