Perinox automated a goat cheese plant in the Canary Islands, integrating equipment custom-built to meet production needs; this resulted in improved energy, technical, and operational efficiency, as well as product homogenization, without losing the traditional essence.
The global dairy sector is undergoing a structural transformation driven by demographic shifts, strict food safety regulations, and the imperative need to optimize operational expenditures (OPEX). According to data compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global goat milk production has maintained a sustained upward trajectory over recent decades, exceeding 20.5 million metric tons annually. Although total volume is dominated by bovine milk, the caprine segment holds fundamental strategic value due to the high digestibility of its proteins, unique fat globule structure, and exceptional aptitude for processing into high-end artisanal cheeses.
In Spain, goat milk represents a highly specialized processing sector. Data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) highlights that the country processes over 400 million liters of caprine raw milk annually, positioning it at the forefront of the European market. Goat cheese produced across Spanish regions masterfully blends traditional craftsmanship with world-class international recognition. Consequently, food processing enterprises face the technical challenge of modernizing facilities to scale production throughput without altering the distinctive sensory profile of their brands.
The Value of an End-to-End Technological Partner: Cheese Plant Automation & Integration
In food process engineering, modernizing a cheese manufacturing plant extends far beyond installing standalone equipment. Achieving true quantitative and qualitative gains requires a turnkey cheese plant automation and integration project where every processing stage seamlessly communicates with the next.
When a specialized engineering firm like Perinox executes a project from this holistic perspective, unit operations—such as thermal treatment, mold filling, pressing, and demolding—function as a unified continuous processing line. Implementing unified control architectures via programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems eliminates inter-stage bottlenecks, reduces downtime, and guarantees full digital batch traceability across the entire process lifecycle.
Industrial process automation
Equipment Integration Case Study: Automated Cheese Processing Line
To meet surging market demand and maximize plant yields, a prominent artisan cheese producer located in the Canary Islands (Spain)—globally renowned for its award-winning goat milk cheeses—undertook a comprehensive plant modernization and automation program.
To execute this technical upgrade, the firm partnered with Perinox, leveraging its expertise for the end-to-end automation and engineering integration of the cheesemaking operations.
Technical Solution: Engineered, Automated, and Integrated Systems
1. Automated Thermal Treatment: 10,000 L/h Milk Pasteurizer
For raw milk conditioning, Perinox engineered, manufactured and integrated a high-efficiency 10,000 L/h milk pasteurization system equipped with inline thermization capabilities.
The unit incorporates a closed-loop PID control architecture that continuously monitors pasteurization temperature, flow rate, and differential pressure. Upon detecting any thermal drift, the automated system immediately triggers pneumatic flow-diversion valves, ensuring strict microbiological safety before feeding the milk into the coagulation vats.
Pasteurization and thermal treatment
2. Homogeneous Block Formation: Automated Column Pre-Pressing
During the curd processing phase, the facility incorporated a fully automated column pre-pressing system, manufactured by Perinox.
PLC-managed logic regulates progressive pneumatic pressure and whey drainage timing synchronized with incoming curd mass flow. This automated precision ensures:
- Uniform syneresis and whey drainage across the entire curd block.
- Elimination of unwanted internal mechanical holes and structural defects.
- Standardization of weight and volume for precise portioning prior to the molding line.
Equipments and technology for cheese production
3. Automated Extraction & Line Synchronization: Cheese Demolding Systems
The final section of the processing line features an automated cheese demold system, also manufactured by Perinox; fully networked via industrial communication buses with the rest of the plant’s automation stack.
The system utilizes controlled vacuum-suction heads to extract cheese blocks gently without disrupting the soft, fragile rind. Automation synchronizes the demolding cadence with the continuous speed of the takeaway conveyor, delivering cheeses directly into the brine bath system.
Industrial Benefits of End-to-End Plant Automation
Automating traditional cheese production facilities delivers measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) in daily plant operations:
- Centralized Process Control: Integrating plant automation allows operators to monitor and adjust all critical process parameters from a single HMI/SCADA interface, simplifying operator workflows.
- Recipe Repeatability: Standardizing thermal curves, dosing, and pressing pressure profiles guarantees lot-to-lot consistency while preserving the unique organoleptic profile of the cheese.
- Energy & Operational Efficiency: Synchronized flow rates eliminate intermittent start-stop cycles, optimizing the consumption of utility fluids (hot water, steam, and chilled glycol).
Further Reading in Dairy Processing Technology
References and Technical Sources
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT). Goat Milk Production Statistics and Global Trends (1970–2023). Rome: FAO. Available at: https://www.fao.org/faostat/
- OECD/FAO. Agricultural Outlook 2026–2035: Dairy and Dairy Products. OECD Publishing. Available at: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-fao-agricultural-outlook-2026-2035_47874669-en/full-report/dairy-and-dairy-products_5e1ae8f8.html
- Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (MAPA). El sector de la leche de oveja y cabra en España: Caracterización y datos de entregas a industria. Madrid: Gobierno de España. Available at: https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/ganaderia/temas/producciones-ganaderas/sectores-ganaderos/lacteo/
- Federación Nacional de Industrias Lácteas (FeNIL). Datos del sector industrial lácteo en España. Madrid: FeNIL. Available at: https://fenil.org/sector-industrial-lacteo/
- European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG). Hygienic Design Principles for Food Processing Equipment. Guideline Doc 8. Available at: https://www.ehedg.org/
