Homogenization of milk emulsions:use of microfluidizer

Abstract

The operating efficiency of a laboratory scale microfluidizer had been compared to that of a high pressure valve homogenizer using either pasteurized whole milk or recombined milk. Microfluidization was found to be a very effective method for reducing fat globule size and was only slightly affected by changes in operating pressure. The back pressure module on the microfluidizer had a marginal effect on particle size increase. As a result, the homogenization effect was always greater than that of conventional homogenization. Only very small amounts of serum protein but high levels of casein were found on fat surfaces after microfluidization. The protein load was higher than predicted on the basis of decreases in globule size. Microfluidization had little effect on the formation of fat clusters in milk. The higher protein load probably inhibited fat clustering.

Comparison of the effects of high-pressure microfluidization and conventional homogenization of milk on particle size, water retention and texture of non-fat and low-fat yoghurts

“…1a); the first peak was at 458 nm, while the second peak had a relatively large diameter (3672 nm), representing fat globules that were not disrupted by CH, or that had probably coalesced. These results corroborate the findings of previous studies done on milk and other dairy-based emulsions; many authors have reported that microfluidization produced smaller fat globules with narrower size distribution than valve homogenization (Cobos et al, 1995b;Hardham et al, 2000;McCrae, 1994;Pouliot et al, 1990;Whiteley & Muir, 1996). Furthermore, Dalgleish et al (1996) and Tosh and Dalgleish (1998) showed that microfluidization of milk not only disrupted fat globules but also disintegrated casein micelles, resulting in smaller particle size.…”

“…In the last two decades, microfluidization, an HPH technique that can create fine emulsions, has been developed (Cook & Lagace, 1987). Microfluidization generates high velocity microstreams as a fluid accelerates into an interaction chamber, generating high shear and impact forces that cause the formation of fine emulsions (McCrae, 1994). The technology has been utilized as an alternative method for homogenizing milk (Cobos, Horne, & Muir, 1995b;Dalgleish, Tosh, & West, 1996;Hardham, Imison, & French, 2000;McCrae, 1994;Strawbridge, Ray, Hallett, Tosh, & Dalgleish, 1995;Whiteley & Muir, 1996) and for processing a range of dairy products.…”

“…Microfluidization generates high velocity microstreams as a fluid accelerates into an interaction chamber, generating high shear and impact forces that cause the formation of fine emulsions (McCrae, 1994). The technology has been utilized as an alternative method for homogenizing milk (Cobos, Horne, & Muir, 1995b;Dalgleish, Tosh, & West, 1996;Hardham, Imison, & French, 2000;McCrae, 1994;Strawbridge, Ray, Hallett, Tosh, & Dalgleish, 1995;Whiteley & Muir, 1996) and for processing a range of dairy products. Homogenization using the Microfluidizer Ò has been successfully employed in processing of infant formulae (Pouliot, Britten, & Latreille, 1990), cheddar cheese (Lebeuf, Lacroix, & Paquin, 1998;Lemay, Paquin, & Lacroix, 1994), mozzarella cheese (Tunick, Van Hekken, Cooke, Smith, & Malin, 2000), cream liqueurs (Paquin & Giasson, 1989) and ice cream (Olson, White, & Watson, 2003).…”

Efficiency of a range of homogenisation technologies in the emulsification and stabilization of cream liqueurs

“…Increasing homogenisation pressure, with little further decrease in droplet size, results in unnecessary energy consumption. McCrae (1994) reported that the optimal operating pressure of a Microfluidizer® for homogenisation of milk was 50 MPa, corresponding to our results for cream liqueur. However, defining the optimal pressure would require further trials in a narrower range around 50 MPa.…”

The effect of native and modified konjac on the physical attributes of pasteurized and UHT-treated skim milk

“…This high energy homogenization apparatus incorporates a high pressure intensifier pump which delivers product to an interaction chamber at speeds of up to 400 m s À1 , generating pressures in the range 20e275 MPa. In the interaction chamber, the product is subjected to turbulence, cavitation and shear, which elicit structural changes, such as reducing particle size in emulsions (McCrae, 1994;Pouliot, Paquin, Robin, & Giasson, 1991;Strawbridge, Ray, Hallett, Tosh, & Dalgleish, 1995), or reductions in molecular weight of polysaccharides.…”