Abstract
Classically, microfiltration (0.1–0.5 µm) of bovine skim milk is performed at warm temperatures (45–55 °C), to produce micellar casein and milk-derived whey protein ingredients. Microfiltration at these temperatures is associated with high initial permeate flux and allows for the retention of the casein fraction, resulting in a whey protein fraction of high purity. Increasingly, however, the microfiltration of skim milk and other dairy streams at low temperatures (≤20 °C) is being used in the dairy industry. The trend towards cold filtration has arisen due to associated benefits of improved microbial quality and reduced fouling, allowing for extended processing times, improved product quality and opportunities for more sustainable processing. Performing microfiltration of skim milk at low temperatures also alters the protein profile and mineral composition of the resulting processing streams, allowing for the generation of new ingredients. However, the use of low processing temperatures is associated with high mechanical energy consumption to compensate for the increased viscosity, and thermal energy consumption for inline cooling, impacting the sustainability of the process. This review will examine the differences between warm and cold microfiltration in terms of membrane performance, partitioning of bovine milk constituents, microbial growth, ingredient innovation and process sustainability.
Highlights
Cold MF is used to improve the microbial quality of the feed material prior to the production of ingredients, e.g., Micelate PrestigeTM, a product currently produced by FrieslandCampina, is a cold-processed, native micellar casein isolate (MCI) which has undergone cold MF to improve the microbial quality of the ingredient
MF has become an integral unit operation within the dairy industry, with the emergence of cold MF driven by increased demand for novel ingredients with enhanced functional properties, improved microbial quality, and improved membrane performance
Cold MF can result in improved microbiological quality, longer, more sustainable, processing times and reduced fouling, extending the life span of membranes as well as providing dairy processors opportunities to produce new functional milk-derived protein ingredients, all acting as an incentive to shift from warm to cold MF
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Based on the size difference between casein micelles (50–500 nm) and whey proteins (4–8 nm), MF technology is capable of fractionating the major proteins in milk in a chemical-free (e.g., no acids or bases required for pH adjustment) manner which is perceived as a “clean” approach when compared to milk prior to subsequent processing [3,4]. Based on the size difference between casein micelles (50–500 nm) and whey proteins (4–8 nm), MF technology is capable of fractionating the major proteins in milk in a chemical-free (e.g., no acids or bases required for pH adjustment) manner which is perceived as a “clean” approach when compared to alternative methods for protein fractionation (e.g., precipitation techniques).
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