Impact of different aqueous phases on casein micelles: Kinetics of physicochemical changes under variation of water hardness and diafiltration conditions

Impact of Diafiltration Media and Filtration Modes on Fouling and Performance in Skim Milk Microfiltration: A Comparative Study

This research utilized a customized laboratory setup to compare the filtration performance and fouling buildup during microfiltration with polymeric membranes of skim milk using 2 diafiltration media: ultrafiltration permeate and ultrapure water. Two filtration modes were evaluated: in stage 1, the diafiltration media was added in a 1:1 ratio, with the collection of permeate continuing until the initial protein concentration was restored. In stage 2, retentates and permeates were recycled to simulate fouling accumulation in a steady-state without altering the retentate composition. Utilizing water as the diafiltration medium resulted in higher flux and lower resistance values compared with using ultrafiltration permeate, irrespective of the filtration mode. The concentration had a significant impact on membrane resistance, with no noticeable time-dependent effect on fouling layer development after 60 min of filtration when the retentate composition remained constant. The protein composition of the permeate and extracted foulants were comparable between the 2 media, with caseins predominating in the fouling layer.

Transmembrane Pressure during Micro- and Diafiltration of Milk Affects the Release of Non-Sedimentable Caseins

Membrane filtration, especially in combination with diafiltration, can affect the colloidal structure of casein micelles in milk and concentrated milks. The partial dissociation of casein proteins from the casein micelles into the serum phase has been shown to depend on diafiltration conditions. This dissociation can affect the technological functionality of the milk concentrates. The present study aimed at determining the contribution of the gel layer deposited onto the membrane during filtration in the colloidal equilibrium between soluble and micellar caseins. Skimmed milk was concentrated by microfiltration combined with diafiltration using a cross-flow spiral-wound membrane at two transmembrane pressure (TMP) levels, causing differences in the extent of the gel layer formed. Non-sedimentable casein aggregates were formed to a greater extent at a low TMP compared to a high operating TMP. This difference was attributed to the greater compression of the deposit layer during filtration at a high TMP. This study contributes new knowledge to the understanding of how to modulate the functionality of milk concentrates through the control of processing conditions.

Effect of Different Temperature-Controlled Ultrasound on the Physical and Functional Properties of Micellar Casein Concentrate

Micellar casein concentrate (MCC) is a novel dairy ingredient with high protein content. However, its poor functional properties impair its potential for further application, highlighting the importance of using innovative processing methods to produce modified MCC, such as ultrasound (US). This work investigated the impact of US on the physical and functional properties of MCC under temperature-controlled and -uncontrolled conditions for different time intervals. Under temperature-controlled ultrasound (TC-US) treatment, a reduction was found in the supernatant particle size of casein micelles. Soluble calcium content and hydrophobicity increased following ultrasound treatment at 20 °C, resulting in a remarkable improvement in emulsification. However, long-time ultrasonication led to an unstable state, causing the MCC solutions to show shear thinning behavior (pseudoplastic fluid). Compared with 50 °C temperature-controlled ultrasonication, ultrasonication at 20 °C had a greater influence on particle size, viscosity and hydrophobicity. These findings indicate that 20 °C TC-US could be a promising technology for the modification of MCC.

Invited review: Heat stability of milk and concentrated milk: Past, present, and future research objectives

The ability of milk and concentrated milk to withstand a defined heat treatment without noticeable changes such as flocculation of protein is commonly denoted as heat stability. A heat treatment that exceeds the heat stability limit of milk or concentrated milk, which has a much lower heat stability, may result in undesired changes, such as separation of milk fat, grittiness, sediment formation, and phase separation. Most laboratory-scale batch heating methods were developed in the early 20th century to simulate commercial sterilization, and these methods have since been standardized. Heat stability studies have been motivated by different objectives during that time, addressing different processing issues and targets in the framework of available technology, legislation, and consumer demand. Although milk hygiene has improved during the last couple of decades, rendering milk less sensitive to coagulation, different standard methods suffered from poor comparability of results, even when comparing results for the same milk sample, indicating that unknown procedural steps affect heat stability. The prediction of heat stability of concentrated milk from the heat stability results of the corresponding unconcentrated milk for rapid quality testing purposes has been difficult, mainly due to different experimental conditions. The objective of this study is to review literature on heat stability, starting from studies in the early 20th century, to summarize the vast number of studies on compositional aspects of milk affecting heat stability, and to lead the way to the most recent work related to compositional changes in concentrates produced by membrane concentration and fractionation, respectively. Particular attention is paid to early and most recent developments and findings, such as the application of kinetic models to predict and limit protein aggregation to assess and describe heat stability as a temperature-time-total milk solids continuum.