Homogenization of Milk

Homogenization of Milk
Homogenization is the disintegration if particles in which uniformly or non-uniformly distributed phases of a liquid reach a higher level of mixing and the distribution level stabilizes.

The main purpose of homogenization in the dairy industry is to reduce the size of the fat globules and achieve a uniform diameter of 0.5 – 1 um. This results in both desirable and non desirable changes.

Advantages are:

• Increase of the total surface of the fat globule, which prevents or delays creaming of the fat and increases light reflection


• Enhancement of taste and texture


• Increase in digestibility
  

Disadvantages are:

• Increased area for attack of microbial lipase, resulting lipolytic changes


• Increased sensitivity to light influences, leading to taste defects such as “rancid’” “soapy” or “oxidized”


• Increased area for microbial contamination


• Reduced thermal stability of the protein (homogenization must be one after the UHT treatment for UHT milk)
  

Homogenization of Milk