What is Milk?

Milk
Nature's most perfect food
Nutritional value is greater than the sum of it's
parts
One of only two foods we eat whose sole purpose
in nature is food (Honey is the other)
High quality ingredients
 Protein – AA Content
 Fat
 Sugars
Complete nutrition for the young animal
Definition of Milk?
Definition - Normal secretion of the
mammary gland of mammals which is
serving the newborn as food.

More precisely it is a very complex

product that contains more than 100,000
chemicals that are either in solution,
suspension or emulsion with water.
Solution - dissolve to the molecular level
 Lactose
 Minerals
 Suspension - Colloid, particles so small
they will not settle out
 Proteins - Casein
 Emulsion - compounds that don't mix with
water
 Butterfat
Composition of Milk
Water 87.5%
Lactose 4.9%
Protein 3.2%
    Casein 2.9%
    Lactalbumin 0.52%
    Lactoglobulin 0.20%
Fat 3.7%
Minerals 0.72%
   Calcium 0.12%
   Phosphorus 0.11%
   Chlorine 0.11%
Other Compounds Normally Found in Milk

Acids
 Citrate, Formate, Acetate, Lactate, Oxalate
Enzymes
 Peroxidase, Catalase, Lipase, Phosphatase
Gases
 Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon dioxide
Vitamins
 A, C, D, B Complex
Milk minus fat globules is called “milk
plasma”, that mean, the liquid in which the
fat globules float.
“Casein micelles” consist of water, protein
and salts.
Milk minus fat globules and casein micelles
is called “milk serum”.
Factors That Effect Milk Composition

Breed
Stage of Lactation
Season
Genetics
Nutrition - Feeds
Disease – Mastitis
Breed Milk Fat % Fat lb. Protein % Protein lb.

Ayrshires 17,885 3.80 680 3.13 688

Brown Swiss 20,757 3.99 828 3.32 688

Guernseys 16,692 4.42 737 3.29 549

Holsteins 25,139 3.62 915 3.02 758

Jerseys 17,732 4.60 815 3.53 633

Shorthorns 17,263 3.57 616 3.09 533

Water
Lactating cows require lots
 1 lb. per lb. of milk produced
Carrier for all other components
Milk fat (Butter fat)
Of all the components, the fat content
highly variable (3.2% - 6.0%) due to,
 Species, breeds, stage of lactation
 Feed, fiber, temperature
Fat is found in milk in form of spheres or
droplets with a diameter of 2-5 microns,
consisting of a fat core enclosed by a
membrane.
Milk fat is a simple lipid and consist of
triglycerides and fatty acids (> 400 FA)
Milkfat Globules
Covered by a thin membrane from secretory
cells (Protein and Phospholipids)
Helps prevent coalescence and flocculation
Protects fat from enzymatic action
Properties enable the production of butter,
whipped cream and ice cream
Homogenization
 Decreases diameter making them more stable in
suspension
Homogenization
Size and no of the fat droplets present in the milk
depend on the animal, type of milking and stage
of lactation.
ex..- Goat milk –small droplets – easy to
digest
- size of fat droplet – buffalo > cow - suitable
for butter production.
- end of the lactation – size is smaller than middle
– suitable for cheese production
- Machine milking – small FG than hand
milking
Milk Proteins
Several types found in milk
Casein – 76%
Whey proteins – 18%
Enzymes, hormones, antibodies, growth
factors, lactoferrin, NPN
Major proteins are unique to milk
Amino acids balanced for growth
Manufactured from AA's
Casein
Phosphoproteins – about 80% of all milk proteins
Lack Disulfide bonds and has little secondary and
tertiary structure
Form a micelle (140nm) - hydrophobic
 Calcium and phosphates stabilize structure
 Gamma - fragments of beta (3%)
Precipitated by
 pH below 4.6 – Low solubility – Clots in stomach
 Ultracentrifugation
 Ultrafiltration - reduce trucking costs of milk used for
cheese.
 Rennin - cheese
 Whey proteins
Not precipitated by acid, but easily
denatured by heat (>60C)
Four Fractions: -lactoglobulins (50%), -
lactalbumins (25%), serum albumin &
immunoglobulins
rich in sulfur-containing amino acids
Use of whey protein products:
 Dried Whey: puddings, cakes, baked products
 Whey protein concentrates: binder in sausage
(up to 3.5%)
 Ultra Filtered Skim Milk : coffee whiteners
 Cheese Whey: animal feed
Lactose (Milk sugar)
Major carbohydrate in milk
Disaccharide
 Glucose and galactose molecule
Only present in the mammary gland
Lactose has vary low sweetening power and
low solubility.
Determines the quantity of milk produced
Lactose
Lactose is the source of lactic acid,
formed by bacteria.
Produce curd.
Problems associated with lactose
 lactose intolerance - lack α-D-

galactoside galactohydrolase
 crystals from condensed milk or ice

cream
 lumping and caking of dried milk during
storage
Use of lactose
 browning
 dispersing agent
 topping & icing
 carrier for flavor
 color ingredients
 body & viscosity
Vitamins
Contain all the essential vitamins, but in varying and
sometimes insufficient amount.
Riboflavin
 water-soluble, light sensitive
 light yellowish & greenish color
Carotene
 fat-soluble, yellowish color of milkfat
 skim milk is fortified with retinyl palmitate to replace the
carotene in milk fat
Milk also provides thiamine & niacin
Vitamin D is added to almost all milk
Minerals
Rich in Ca and P
trace elements: Fe, Mg, Mo, Ni, Zn
Mineral and Vitamin Content
Minerals mg/ml Vitamins ug/ml
K 138 A 30
CL 125 D 0.06
Ca 103 E 88
P 96 K 17
Na 58 B1 37
S 30 B2 180
Mg 12 B6 46
Trace Minerals <0.1 B12 0.42
C 1.7
Enzymes
Contain different enzymes.
Native enzymes secreted by mammary
glands.
Others are microbial originate secreted by
m.o. (Protease, Lipase, phosphates, etc..).
Most of enzymes are associated with fat
globulin membrane and others are in
solution that mean dispersed in the serum.
Most of the enzymes are inactivated by
pasteurization
alkaline phosphatase is an index of
adequacy of pasteurization (phosphatase
test)
Lipase may cause hydrolytic rancidity in
dairy products if it is not deactivated.
Other Things Found in Milk
Somatic cells
Bacteria
Sediment
Disinfectants
Antibiotics
Pesticides
Aromatic Compounds
Excess Water
Other Stuff
Physical properties of milk
Density of milk
 Between 1.027 – 1.036g/cm3
 It is a function of the type and quantity of the
dispersed particles.
ex. High fat content – Low density
High solids – High density
 Find using lactometer.
Boiling and Freezing point

 B.P. --- 100.2 oC

 F.P. --- - 0.526 oC

 < -0.5 oC – adult with water

 > - 0.62 oC – adult with salt
pH value
 Fresh milk of a healthy cow – 6.7 – 7.0
 Due to acidic salts (NaHCO3), Free organic
acids) ND Casein.

Electrical conductivity
 Due to ion – milk conducting an electrical current.
 The conductivity is low and between 4.10-5.5
S/cm at 25 oC.
Color of milk
 Bluish white or yellowish white – depend on
the,
 Breed of cattle
 Amount of fat and solids
 The nature of the feed

Taste, oudor and Flavour

 Refer??????????????
MILK MICROBIOLOGY
milk comes from another living organism
and naturally contains bacteria
milk is a good growth medium
milk is handled much more than water
milk can contain antibiotic resistant
organisms
1. Humans to milk to humans

Milk is contaminated by human contact

Used to be more of a problem before
automation
ex. Tuberculosis, Cholera, Typhoid,
Diptheria, Enteroviruses, others
2. Cow to milk to humans

On the cow: the cow may have

organisms on their skin or teat

In the cow: the cow is ill or carrying

pathogens, may be symptomatic or
asymptomatic
Examples:
Mastitis: infection in the mammary glands of the cow
may be asymptomatic
usually caused by Staphylococcus or Streptococcus
 
Brucellosis: "Undulent Fever" caused by Brucella abortus
cow can intermittently shed these organisms in their milk
have been cases recently associated with raw milk
 
Campylobacter jejuni
shed in the mammary gland, also found in feces
has been a problem in raw milk since it is a low dose
organism
cows can be asymptomatic
 
 Salmonella
mostly intestinal, but can get into milk (dairies have large amounts of feces around)
cows can also be "intermittent mammary gland shedders" and be asymptomatic
it is because of Salmonella dublin (low dose org.) that raw milk has a warning label
 
Listeria monocytogenes
intestinal organism
may survive pasteurization by protection of the white blood cells
can grow at refrigeration temperatures
high death rate
 
Yersinia entercolitica
intestinal organism
may grow at refrigeration temperatures
has been found in chocolate milk even after passing current tests
 
Enterotoxigenic and Enteropathogenic E. coli OR E. coli 0157:H:7
has been known to pass current tests
Other:

Dairy cleanliness
Improper pasteurization
Raw milk
Mishandling