High-frequency acoustic cavitation in the technology of producing milk and dairy products

Abstract

The article tells us about the issue of the influence of high-frequency acoustic cavitation on the quality characteristics of raw milk and white cheese produced with its use. It is shown that with the duration of milk processing for 30 minutes and the impact power of 45 kHz, the number of bacteria of the Escherichia coli group decreases by 40% and native calcium is preserved, which is subsequently necessary for the formation of a high-quality cheese layer. The effect of high-frequency acoustic cavitation on the components of milk, such as fat and protein, has been studied. It is established that during the initial period of exposure to high-frequency cavitation, there is a crushing of fat particles - homogenization with subsequent agglomeration, and then the release of free (destabilized) fat. It is worth noting that acoustic cavitation does not have a negative effect on the protein component of milk. Thus, whey proteins, which are most susceptible to denaturation (precipitation) during heat treatment, remain in the native state during cavitation exposure. The authors concluded that high-frequency acoustic exposure is technologically feasible in the production of high-protein products, in particular, in the production of white cheese. The results of histological analysis indicate that calcium in this type of processing in cheese has a structured appearance and larger associations in size compared to cheese obtained from unprocessed milk, which has a positive effect on the quality of the protein matrix of the product.