Effect of Thermal Treatment and Pasteurization on Milk Powder Quality

Abstract

Milk powder is a commercial product of mass consumption. Its popularity means a variety of quality and production requirements. New methods of skimmed milk powder production are strategically important for the food industry in Russia and worldwide. Russia is currently experiencing a shortage of low-heat milk powder import. The research featured the effect of thermal treatment and pasteurization mode on the protein profile and microbiological parameters of skimmed milk powder. The research objective was to establish the thermal variables for low-heat milk powder. The study involved raw milk, skimmed milk produced under different heat treatment conditions, and skimmed milk powder obtained from this milk. The authors used standard analytical methods to define the protein profile, as well as the microbiological and physicochemical parameters. A set of experiments made it possible to classify the heat treatment of skimmed milk powder produced under various milk pasteurization modes, as well as to establish its biochemical and microbiological parameters. The optimal mode for low-heat milk powder was a combination of thermal treatment (60 ± 2°C for 10 s followed by cooling to 10°C for 10 h) and low-temperature pasteurization (72 ± 2°C for 15 s). The powder obtained met the Technical Regulations of Customs Union TR CU 033/2013 and State Standard 33629-2015. A lower thermal load maintains the microbiological safety of milk powder while preserving its quality. In this study, the optimal thermal treatment and pasteurization mode yielded milk powder of low-heat category, thus preserving the native protein and microbiological safety. As a result, the low-heat milk powder acquired some high-quality functional and consumer properties.