Hot Beverage Technology
Milk system
Term from the vending glossary
Component for milk preparation: Instant (powder), Fresh Milk (chilled) or Dual-Milk (both). Determines beverage quality and cleaning effort significantly.
The milk system dictates cappuccino and latte quality—and the entire machine's cleaning workload. Two configurations are prevalent: Fresh milk drawn from a chilled reservoir and frothed with steam or air, and powder topping that dissolves like instant coffee.
Fresh milk is the quality and hygiene path, with stricter requirements: milk-bearing lines are a breeding ground, so they demand daily automatic flushing and periodic chemical cleaning. Operators offering fresh milk must have a refrigerator on-site near the machine and a person who reliably documents cleaning completion.