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1.Milk composition. Milk products and human health.
🥛 Milk composition
Milk = ~87.3% water + 11.9–14.2% solids ⭐
Solids:
🧈 Fat (min 3.3%)
🥛 MSNF (milk solids non-fat, min 8.6%)
💧 Water
Almost 90% of milk
Species:
🐮 Cow: 87.3%
🐑 Sheep: 82.0%
🐐 Goat: 86.7%
🐴 Mare: 88.8%
⭐ Solids in cow milk = 12.7%
🧬 Proteins (2.8–3.7% in cow milk)
Protein content influenced by:
Nutrition, Breed, Age, Milk yield, Mastitis
⭐ Impacts payment for milk
Protein determined with Kjeldahl’s method:
digestion à neutralisation & distillation à titration
Estimate total nitrogen content, assume all N is protein, use conversion factor based on % of N in the food protein: Protein (%) = %N x F
1⃣ Casein (≈80% of total protein) ⭐
Thermostable, Water-insoluble
Precipitates at: pH 4.6, 40°C
Separated by: Acids, Rennet
⭐ Important for cheese-making
Bound to calcium phosphate
Types:
αs1-casein, αs2-casein, β-casein, κ-casein
Functions:
Carries insoluble calcium and phosphorus, Forms clot in stomach
Improves the nutrition of young mammals
2⃣ Whey proteins (≈20% of total protein) ⭐
Water-soluble
Denature at 60–70°C
Contain:
20 amino acids, Leucine, Valine
Types:
α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, Proteose peptones, Bovine serum albumin
Immunoglobulins: IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE, J-chain, Secretory component
Minor proteins
Enzymes, Lactoferrin, Serum transferrin, Immunoglobulins, Blood serum albumin, Bioactive milk proteins
Non-protein nitrogen (NPN)
Urea ⭐ (important for heat stability), Nitrates, Nitrites
⚙ Enzymes
⭐ Higher activity in colostrum
Exogenous enzymes (from bacteria)
Heat-stable lipases, Proteinases, Produced by psychrotrophic bacteria
Indigenous enzymes (produced by cow)
Lipoprotein lipase, Plasmin, Alkaline phosphatase
🧈 Fat (lipids) 3.3–3.8%
⭐ Mainly saturated fatty acids
⭐ Melting point ≈ 37°C
Origin:
Microbial activity in rumen, Secretory cells
Types:
Triglycerides (98–99%) ⭐, Diglycerides (2%), Other lipids (1–2%) including cholesterol
Fat determined with Gerber method:
Separation of fat in a butyrometer, determine its volume & calculate % of fat content. Mixing of milk, sulphuric acid & amyl alcohol. Heat + centrifuge.
Solid non-fat calculated by: SNF = S - F
S = dry matter content in g/100g milk
F = fat content in g/100g milk
🍬 Carbohydrates
Lactose (4.8%) ⭐
Influenced by:
Breed, Individual animal, Mastitis ↓, Stage of lactation
Formula:
C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁
Disaccharide:
D-glucose, D-galactose
Functions:
Nutritive value, Milk product production
Lactase (β-galactosidase)
Hydrolyses lactose into:
Glucose and Galactose
Used for:
Sour milk products, Cheese, Lactose-free milk
Other carbohydrates:
Monosaccharides, Sugar phosphates, Nucleotide sugars
Lactose determined with e.g. titration against a standard reagent solution.
🧂 Minerals
Major elements:
Calcium, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Chlorine, Potassium, Magnesium, Sodium
Trace elements:
Cobalt, Copper, Fluoride, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Selenium, Zinc
⭐ Milk contains all essential elements
⭐ Rich in calcium and phosphorus
⚠ Low in iron
💊 Vitamins
⭐ Important source of Vitamin A
⚠ Low in Vitamin D
Fat-soluble
Vitamin A (retinol), Vitamin D (calciferol), Vitamin E (tocopherol), Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
Water-soluble
B-complex:
B1 thiamine, B2 riboflavin, B3 niacin, B7 biotin
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
👶 Milk products and human health
⭐ Almost complete and well-balanced food
Benefits:
Growth, Energy, Bone development, Immunoglobulins for infants
Deficiencies:
Vitamin D too low, Iron too low
⚠ Lactose intolerance
Reduced milk consumption:
→ reduced lactase production
Lactose not hydrolysed:
→ fermented by intestinal microorganisms
Signs:
Abdominal cramps, Diarrhoea, Flatulence
Often associated with:
β-lactoglobulin ⭐
📊 Species comparison
Species | Total solids % | Fat % | Protein % | Lactose % | Ash % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🐮 Cow | 11.9–14.2 | min 3.3 | min 2.8 | 4.7 | 0.7 |
🐐 Goat | 12.3 | 3.6–4.5 | 2.9–3.18 | 4.1–4.3 | 0.8 |
🐑 Sheep | 19.3 ⭐ | 7.4 ⭐ | 4.5–5.5 ⭐ | 4.8 | 1.0 |
General lab tests:
Fat: Gerber method;
Protein, fat, lactose, SNF: Lactoscan/LactiCheck
⭐ Most important exam facts
Milk = 87.3% water + 11.9–14.2% solids
Casein = 80%, whey = 20%
Casein precipitates at pH 4.6 and 40°C
Whey proteins denature at 60–70°C
Lactose = 4.8%
Fat = 3.3–3.8%
Rich in Ca and P
Poor in iron and vitamin D
Sheep milk = highest fat, protein and total solids.
❓ How much free fatty acids (FFA) are present in milk immediately after milking?
✅ 0.1–0.5% ⭐
❓ How does lactose change during lactation?
✅ Lactose concentration progressively and significantly decreases during lactation. ⭐
❓ Why is goat milk whiter than cow milk?
✅ Goats do not transfer β-carotene into milk.
✅ β-carotene is converted into vitamin A.
✅ Therefore goat milk appears whiter, while cow milk has a slightly yellow colour. ⭐
❓ What is absent in goat milk compared with cow milk and affects appearance?
✅ β-carotene ⭐
❓ How is lactose-free milk produced?
✅ By adding lactase (β-galactosidase).
✅ Lactose is hydrolysed into:
Glucose, Galactose
❓ What is the maximum lactose content in lactose-free milk?
✅ Practically 0% lactose ⭐
❓ When is milk considered raw milk?
✅ Milk that has not undergone heat treatment above 40°C ⭐
❓ What is the minimum fat content of raw cow milk?
✅ 3.3% fat ⭐
❓ Which milk enzymes are important for verification of heat treatment?
✅ Alkaline phosphatase ⭐
✅ Peroxidase ⭐
Used to verify: PasteurisationUHT treatment
❓ What is lactose intolerance?
✅ Reduced lactase activity.
✅ Lactose is not hydrolysed.
✅ Fermented by intestinal microorganisms.
❓ Can people also be allergic to milk?
✅ Yes. ⭐
⚠ This is different from lactose intolerance.
❓ Which protein causes milk allergy?
Committee answers reported:
✅ β-lactoglobulin ⭐ (Commission 2, 2025)
Also know:
✅ Caseins can cause milk protein allergy and are often mentioned by examiners.
❓ What can be done in milk protein allergy?
✅ Avoid milk consumption.
✅ Check food ingredients.
✅ Some products are marketed as A2 milk (contains A2 β-casein only).
Physico-chemical properties of cow's milk
🥛 Milk is a complex colloidal dispersion
Properties depend on:
🔹 Intrinsic factors
Composition, Structure
🔹 Extrinsic factors
Temperature, Post-milking treatment
⭐ Raw milk samples are taken at the dairy reception to test:
Acceptability, Composition, Hygienic quality, Adulteration (addition of foreign substances)
1⃣ Density ⭐
Definition:
Weight of 1 ml milk at 20°C
🧪 Determined by:
Lactometer test
Normal range:
1.029–1.033 g/ml ⭐
Used to detect adulteration:
💧 Water density = 1
🧈 Fat density = <1
🥛 Non-fat solids density = >1
⭐ Fat and added water decrease density!
2⃣ Freezing point ⭐
Depends on:
Molarity of dissolved substances
Used to detect:
Added water, Added lactose, Added salt
Normal:
−0.522°C
Range: −0.512 to −0.550°C
💧 Added water → Increases freezing point
🧂 Salt/lactose → Decrease freezing point
3⃣ Viscosity
Important for:
Creaming rate, Heat transfer, Flow during dairy processing
Affected by:
Temperature, pH
⭐ Increased by:
Cooling, Heating above 65°C
(due to whey protein denaturation)
4⃣ Acid-base equilibrium ⭐
Milk has buffering capacity due to: Casein, Phosphates
pH: 6.4–6.8 at 25°C ⭐
High pH: Mastitis
Low pH: Colostrum, Bacterial infection
pH measures: Free hydrogen ions only
Titratable acidity: measures all titratable hydrogen ions
Normal: 13–20 mmol/L OR 6.2–7.8 °SH ⭐
Used when milk is suspected sour
5⃣ Heat stability ⭐
Milk normally withstands heating without coagulation
Possible changes:
🟤 Darkened milk:
Protein-lactose complexes, Lactose caramelisation
🔥 Prolonged high temperatures:
Casein destabilisation, Protein coagulation
⭐ Heat stability increases with increasing pH
6⃣ Electrical conductivity ⭐
Used for detection of mastitis
Normal: 4.7–5.5 mS/m
Instrument: Conductometer
⭐ Milk checker: Screening device, uses microcomputer calculation
7⃣ Sediment
🧪 Filter test
Milk is sucked through filter using vacuum
Detects:
Dirt, Soil, Feed, Dust, Manure, Hair
Used to evaluate cleanliness
8⃣ Refractive index (RI)
Normal:
1.3440–1.3485
At 20°C
D-line of sodium spectrum
👃 Organoleptic properties of raw milk
🎨 Colour
White, Slightly yellowish
🥛 Consistency
Homogeneous, Liquid, No sediment
👃 Flavour and odour
Typical milky smell, No strong foreign odours
❌ Reject milk when
🩸 Blood present
🧹 Large quantities of dirt
🎨 Abnormal colour
🧪 High viscosity
⚠ Destabilised milk
🍋 Sour flavour or smell
⭐ Committee questions
❓ How do you detect mastitis milk on the farm?
✅ California Mastitis Test (CMT) ⭐
✅ Electrical conductivity measurement ⭐
Where is milk tested?"Milk is tested both at collection before entering the milk tanker and again at the dairy processing plant laboratory when it arrives for processing.
⭐ Most important numbers to memorize
Density = 1.029–1.033 g/ml
Freezing point = −0.522°C
pH = 6.4–6.8
Titratable acidity = 13–20 mmol/L or 6.2–7.8 °SH
Electrical conductivity = 4.7–5.5 mS/m
Refractive index = 1.3440–1.3485
Heat stability affected above 65°C
Mastitis → ↑ electrical conductivity and ↑ pH.
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