Biochemistry of Milk Processing

Milk is subjected to a wide range of processes before consumption directly or in the form of the very wide range of modern dairy products. Primary objectives of processing involve rendering milk microbiologically safe or stable (e.g., pasteurisation, ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk), isolation of valuable components (e.g., whey proteins, caseins) and conversion to other forms (e.g., cheese, yoghurt, enzymatic hydrolysates). All such processes applied to milk have very significant effects on the properties and distribution of food constituents. The principal families of dairy products, which may be produced from milk, and their principles of production, are described in this chapter.