Analisis Permasalahan Peningkatan Fouling Unit UHT pada Proses Sterilisasi Susu UHT PT XYZ

Abstract

PT XYZ memproduksi susu UHT (Ultra High Temperature) varian chocolate dan non-chocolate (strawberry, vanilla, dan plain). Industri ini mengalami permasalahan fouling saat sterilisasi tetapi laju fouling yang cepat hanya dialami varian non-chocolate. Fouling terjadi akibat penumpukan endapan komponen susu yang teragregasi saat dipanaskan lalu menempel pada permukaan pipa heat exchanger. Diperlukan upaya untuk menganalisis penyebab permasalahan serta memberikan rekomendasi perbaikan untuk menurunkan laju fouling dengan menerapkan siklus PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, dan Action) dan alat bantu statistik berupa diagram Ishikawa, tabel true and false analysis, tabel why-why analysis, dan run chart. Faktor penyebab permasalahan laju fouling yang cepat saat sterilisasi susu UHT varian non-chocolate meliputi kondisi pH mixing susu, laju peningkatan delta T (ΔT), komposisi deposit susu, dan pengaruh stabilizer. Banyaknya kandungan mineral dan sedikit protein dalam deposit didukung dengan data kadar abu varian strawberry dan vanilla masing-masing sebanyak 73,35% dan 73,56% lebih besar dari varian chocolate yaitu 62,53% serta data protein deposit varian plain hanya sebesar 9,34%. Upaya perbaikan lanjutan akan difokuskan untuk menguji komposisi deposit susu secara lengkap supaya diketahui komponen penyusun deposit susu terutama jenis dan total mineral serta protein dalam deposit masing-masing varian, penyesuaian konsentrasi stabilizer pada varian non-chocolate, serta mengevaluasi upaya perbaikan sebelumnya.

PT XYZ produced UHT (Ultra High Temperature) milk in chocolate and nonchocolate variants (strawberry, vanilla, and plain). This industry was facing fouling problem in the surface of heat exchanger pipe during sterilization, but the faster fouling rate was only by non-chocolate variants. Corrective actions were needed to analyze the causes of the problem and provide recommendations by applying the PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, and Action) and statistical tools consist of an Ishikawa diagram, true and false analysis table, why-why analysis table, and run chart. The factors causing the problem were the pH condition of the milk mixing process, the rate of increase in delta T (ΔT), the composition of the milk deposit, and the influence of stabilizer. The large amount of mineral content and little protein in the deposit was supported by ash content data for the strawberry and vanilla, 73,35% and 73,56% respectively, greater than the chocolate, 62,53%, and protein deposit data for the plain, only 9,34%. Further corrective actions will be focused on testing the complete deposit compositions of each variant particularly the types and amount of minerals and protein, adjusting the stabilizer concentration of the non-chocolate variant, and evaluating the previous improvement actions.