Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2435888 | International Dairy Journal | 2006 | 6 Pages |
The effect of raw milk quality (total and psychrotrophic bacterial and somatic cell counts, proteinase and plasmin activity) and UHT temperature (145 or 150 °C for 4 s) on proteolysis in UHT milk processed by a direct (steam-injection) system was investigated during storage at 25 °C for 180 d. High proteinase activity was measured in low-quality raw milk, which had high somatic cell count, bacterial count and plasmin activity. The levels of 12% trichloroacetic acid–soluble and pH 4.6-soluble nitrogen in all milk samples increased during storage, and samples produced from low-quality milk at the lower UHT temperature (145 °C) showed the highest values. Bitterness in UHT milk processed from low-quality milk at 145 °C increased during storage; gelation occurred in that milk after 150 d. The RP-HPLC profiles of pH 4.6-soluble fraction of the UHT milk samples produced at 150 °C showed quite small number of peaks after 180 d of storage. Sterilization at 150 °C extended the shelf-life of the UHT milk by reducing proteolysis, gelation and bitterness.