Formation of a Fat Protein Complex in Milk By Homogenization

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Abstract
A fat-protein complex which sediments in a centrifugal field is produced in milk by homogenization. Fat-protein complex formation is found to increase with increasing homogenizing pressure; with increasing fat content; with increasing concentration of total solids (TS) above 31%; and with increasing Ca concentration up to a limit of 10 m[image] added Ca. In a suspending medium of increased density produced by adding sucrose the fat-protein complex formed by homogenizing concentrated milk of more than 31% TS is found to consist of a single entity. In nonconcentrated milk, the fat-protein complexes have a range of fat-N ratios. Experiments to determine the manner in which the fat-protein complex is formed indicate that conditions existing at the homogenizer valve at the instant of homogenizing are responsible for complex formation. Ultracentrifuge analyses of the protein moiety of the fat-protein complex show it to be casein.