Chemical Quality of Raw Milk Retentate processed by Ultra-filtration or Reverse Osmosis at the Dairy Farm

Abstract

Concentrating raw milk at the dairy farms – rather than at the dairy – reduces energy consumption and CO2 emission, due to less road transportation of the milk. This study demonstrates whether it is possible to use either reverse osmosis or ultra-filtration for milk concentration at the farm without harming the milk quality, regarding lipolysis and proteolysis. Filtration at low temperature (4 °C) secures a good milk quality. Despite reverse osmosis operating at much higher feed pressures, the effect on lipolysis is small, which makes this technology the most applicable, as lactose is withhold in retentate.