Minimal processing for goat milk preservation: Effect of high‐pressure processing on its quality

Abstract

Fresh goat milk spoilt in a short time due to bacterial spoilage. Conventional heat pasteurization can cause nutrient degradation. Hence, high-pressure processing (HPP) is chosen as an alternative. The safety and quality of goat milk processed by HPP (200–600 MPa) and thermal treatment (60–80°C) at 5–15 min were studied. Thirty-day storage study at 25°C and 4°C was carried out as well. Viscosity and total soluble solid of milk were stably retained after HPP treatment and during storage. The refrigerated (4°C) HPP (600 MPa, 10 min, RT) and thermal pasteurized (70°C, 15 min) milk product were observed to be safe up to 10 days with minimal detection of microbial load. In conclusion, HPP followed by the refrigeration of goat milk provides an excellent alternative to traditional thermal pasteurization in terms of shelf life and quality. Practical applications This paper presented the potential of HPP as a gentler preserving method for goat milk. The safety and quality of HPP-treated goat milk were studied. HPP at 200, 400, and 600 MPa reduced the microorganism load while producing better quality milk with higher viscosity, higher total soluble solids, higher pH, lower total color difference, and better reduction of microorganisms. Moreover, the optimum parameter was also statistically determined to be at 600 MPa/10 min. Upon storage (4°C), goat milk treated at 600 MPa/10 min showed safe shelf life up to 10 days with minimal microbial load detection. Thus, providing insight into the application of HPP as a gentle preserving method of goat milk with a positive impact on the overall quality and safety.