Odermatt Cheese Dairy
Optimum hygiene conditions
and perfect cheese quality
Every manufacturer endeavours to produce safe food. This is also the case at Odermatt Käserei AG in Dallenwil, which specialises in processing goat‘s milk. Producing soft cheese, cream cheese and yoghurt in a factory with limited space is a challenge for which the Odermatt family has found an environmentally friendly and practical solution with suitable UVC technology from sterilAir AG. sterilAir congratulates Patrick Odermatt and his team on receiving another award at the Swiss Cheese Awards 2024.
Challenging starting position
Odermatt Käserei AG has been producing cheese specialities as a family business for over 50 years. The production rooms are close together and are labyrinthine. Due to the existing space conditions, there is little room to manoeuvre. Many processes overlap and could even have a negative impact on each other. Cross-contamination is a constant risk. There is a risk of mould spores from the soft cheese specialities contaminating the yoghurt or fresh cheese, or the high humidity and heat creating optimal conditions for germ growth. Hard cheese is also susceptible to foreign infections from the air. In the case of soft cheese specialities, on the other hand, noble mould is desirable.
Before the UVC units were installed, additional cleaning intervals, dehumidifiers and additional hygiene measures were used in an attempt to create optimum conditions. These efforts also had some undesirable side effects. For example, the hydrogen peroxide attacked the copper containers during the disinfection test through atomisation. A time-consuming and cost-intensive trial and error phase.
“After making contact, the experts from sterilAir put together a hygiene concept taking into account the premises and product requirements and installed a test device. After a short time, the UVR-4K industrial circulating air steriliser was already showing its effect. Problem areas with cold bridges or high humidity, which were our main focus, remained mould-free.“
– says Patrick Odermatt with satisfaction.
Positive results after a short time
Initially, Patrick Odermatt tested devices from a sterilAir competitor, which were priced below the cost level of the Swiss UVC pioneers. The price-performance ratio was still not right, Odermatt recalls. A cheesemaker friend of his, whose premises were similar, was already using sterilAir devices. For him, cross-contamination via the air and foreign mould on the products were therefore a thing of the past. The UVC circulating air steriliser UVR-4K made of high-quality stainless steel defies adverse environmental conditions and can therefore be used around the clock in rooms with high humidity without any problems. Due to the positive test results, it has been continuously expanded and adapted.
Optimum air and hygiene conditions thanks to UVC technology
Hygienically clean air is one of the main prerequisites for safe and long-lasting products. Four UVR circulating air disinfection units render mould spores, phages and other airborne germs harmless and create perfect conditions for production, maturing and care. Other sterilAir systems, such as wall and ceiling units and an AQD-ST UVC reactor, are also in use. WR wall-mounted devices in the packaging room and in the maturing cellar of the soft cheese specialities ensure optimum air conditions and prevent foreign mould.
By disinfecting the brine with UVC, Odermatt controls the flora and eliminates the need for energy-intensive heat treatment of the brine. By investing in sterilAir UVC technology, the already good product quality improved even further and the shelf life was extended. At the same time, the effort required for cheese care and cleaning was reduced.
„Old craftsmanship and modern technology harmonise perfectly if you know how to use them correctly. Moving with the times doesn’t have to hurt the trade. sterilAir advised and supported us perfectly with their expertise in the food and UVC sector.”
– Patrick Odermatt, Odermatt Käserei AG
Successful synergy of
craftsmanship and technology
Odermatt Käserei AG impressively demonstrates how traditional craftsmanship and modern technology can go hand in hand to ensure the highest quality and safety in food production. Thanks to the targeted use of sterilAir UVC technology, the family business has not only been able to minimise the risk of cross-contamination and extend the shelf life of its products, but also significantly reduce the amount of cleaning required.
Patrick Odermatt and his team prove that the use of advanced UVC technologies is a valuable tool for ensuring consistently high product quality – without jeopardising the valuable craftsmanship. The positive development and the renewed award at the Swiss Cheese Awards 2024 confirm the cheese dairy’s successful path.
„We are in constant contact with sterilAir. The safety measurements and training courses were also carried out professionally. For a high-quality and safe product, a wide range of parameters must be taken into account and fulfilled. Of course, UVC does not replace all hygiene measures. For us, the implementation of UVC was the icing on the cake.“
– concludes Patrick Odermatt.
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