Age gelation in UHT-processed reconstituted concentrated skim milk

Abstract

Summary UHT reconstituted concentrated skim milks made from high-heat powder had considerably longer gelation times than those made from medium- or low-heat powders. Addition of hexametaphosphate to the concentrated milk before UHT processing markedly delayed the onset of gelation during storage. Sediment formation was greatest in the UHT concentrated skim milk made using high-heat powder followed by samples made using medium- and low-heat powders, respectively. The extent of proteolysis, as measured by 12% TCA-soluble amino groups, increased at a faster rate in the UHT milks stored at 40°C than in those stored at 22°C but decreased with increasing heat treatment of the milk prior to powder manufacture. The electrophoretic patterns of samples stored at 22°C clearly showed the breakdown of β-casein with a corresponding increase in slower moving bands, presumably γ-casein and proteose-peptone components. However, storage of samples at 40°C resulted in diffused ‘blurred’ protein patterns with some protein material not entering the resolving gel. At 22°C there was some evidence of proteolysis but no evidence of high molecular weight polymer formation, while at 40°C both proteolysis and high molecular weight polymer formation increased with storage time. It appeared that both physico-chemical and proteolytic processes play some part in the mechanism of gelation in UHT reconstituted concentrated skim milk.