Flow behaviour of inulin–milk beverages. Influence of inulin average chain length and of milk fat content

The effects of the addition of different types of inulin (oligofructose, native and long chain) at different concentrations (2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%, w/w) on the flow behaviour of milk beverages model systems were studied. The flow of the inulin–milk solutions was Newtonian, except for whole milk samples with higher long chain inulin concentrations (8% and 10%), which were shear thinning. All inulin-κ-carrageenan–milk samples were shear thinning. The viscosity of 3.1% fat whole milk could be approximated by skim milk with 4–10% short chain inulin, or with 6–8% native inulin or with 4–6% long chain inulin. In κ-carrageenan–milk samples the addition of inulin could not replace the effect of milk fat on the viscosity of these systems.