Methods for the production of acceptable bread from storage-deteriorated flours

Three practical means of overcoming the problem of the production of acceptable bread from storage-deteriorated flour have been devised. These comprise (1) the use of extra fat in breadmaking, (2) the use of extra yeast to increase proof volume at constant time, and (3) extending proof-time. The first two of these methods are acceptable for use commercially and have been tested successfully in commercial as well as laboratory scale trials. The third method may be difficult to apply in automatic plant bakeries. Additives which were ineffective included gluten, soya, skimmed milk powder, and glyceryl monostearate. Other changes proving ineffectual included increased dough temperature, increased oxidant level and variations in dough water levels.     

EFFECT OF MILK PROTEINS AND STABILIZER ON ICE MILK QUALITY

Ice milk mixes were made with and without stabilizer/emulsifier as well as with and without milk protein isolate (sodium caseinate or whey protein isolate). The mixes were evaluated for rheological, freezing, melting, and sensory properties. Adding a stabilizer/emulsifier blend to ice milk changed its physical properties more than adding milk protein isolates. The mixes with stabilizer/emulsifier exhibited increased viscosity and chewiness and decreased drainage rate, iciness, and vanilla flavor intensity. The mixes with added caseinate exhibited increased viscosity compared with those with added whey protein isolate. Overall, the quality of ice milk mix was more dependent on stabilizer/emulsifier addition than on milk protein isolate addition.     

Viscosity,microstructure and phase behavior of aqueous mixtures of commercial milk protein products and xanthan gum

The behavior of commercial milk protein/xanthan mixtures was studied at neutral pH. Four milk protein ingredients; skim milk powder, milk protein concentrate, sodium caseinate and whey protein isolate were considered. For the xanthan concentrations used, up to 1wt%, the viscosity of the mixtures was dominated by the viscosity of xanthan. Mixtures of xanthan with skim milk powder or milk protein concentrate showed phase separation, as seen by confocal micrographs, and phase diagrams have been established for these two systems. No visible phase separation was observed in the case of mixtures of sodium caseinate or whey protein isolate systems. However, mixtures of sodium caseinate and xanthan, under certain conditions, showed formation of ‘thread-like’ xanthan-rich regions by confocal microscopy. We believe that the phase separation occurring in milk protein concentrate/xanthan or skim milk powder/xanthan mixtures was a result of depletion flocculation of casein micelles by the xanthan macromolecules, but thermodynamic incompatibility was likely to occur in sodium caseinate/xanthan mixtures.     

Effect of Transglutaminase on Physicochemical Properties of Set-style Yogurt

In this study, the effect of some ingredients such as skimmed milk powder, whey, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, whey protein concentrate (35, 60 kg/100 kg dry solids), whole milk powder, condensed milk and transglutaminase (TGase) on the properties of set-style yogurt was investigated. These protein and dry matter sources (2%) and TGase (1 U/g milk protein) were added into pasteurized milk and incubated prior to fermentation for 2 h at 40°C. After fermentation, enzyme action was stopped by heating for 1 min at 80°C. The control groups were conducted with addition of these materials into milk without TGase. All of the milk samples were inoculated with yogurt cultures at 45°C, until the pH was dropped to 4.4. Syneresis, gel-strength, acetaldehyde amounts, and the degree of TGase reaction were determined. As a result, yogurt products made from enzyme-treated milk showed increased gel strength and less syneresis. SDS-PAGE results showed that the enzyme TGase produced crosslink formation between different protein fractions of milk. In addition, it was also determined that TGase application caused a decrease in acetaldehyde amounts.     

Improvement of low fat mozzarella cheese properties using denatured whey protein

Mozzarella cheese was made from buffalo milk (6% fat) or from partially skimmed buffalo milk (2 and 4% fat) with 0.5 and 1% denatured whey protein. Adding whey protein to buffalo milk decreased rennet coagulation time and curd tension whereas increased curd synaeresis. Addition of whey protein to cheese milk increased the acidity, total solids, ash, salt, salt in moisture, also some nitrogen fractions. The meltability and oiling‐off values increased but the calcium values of mozzarella cheese decreased. The sensory properties of low fat mozzarella cheese were improved by addition of whey protein to the cheese milk.     

Invited review: Microfiltration-derived casein and whey proteins from milk

Milk, a rich source of nutrients, can be fractionated into a wide range of components for use in foods and beverages. With advancements in filtration technologies, micellar caseins and milk-derived whey proteins are now produced from skim milk using microfiltration. Microfiltered ingredients offer unique functional and nutritional benefits that can be exploited in new product development. Microfiltration offers promise in cheesemaking, where microfiltered milk can be used for protein standardization to improve the yield and consistency of cheese and help with operation throughputs. Micellar casein concentrates and milk whey proteins could offer unique functional and flavor properties in various food applications. Consumer desires for safe, nutritious, and clean-label foods could be potential growth opportunities for these new ingredients. The application of micellar casein concentrates in protein standardization could offer a window of opportunity to US cheese makers by improving yields and throughputs in manufacturing plants.     

A non-invasive method for the characterisation of milk protein foams by image analysis

An apparatus for the investigation of milk protein foams was introduced based on three jacket columns and exclusively image analysis. The method had a repetition coefficient <10%, and offered a high sample throughput and an expandable design. Sodium caseinate, micellar casein concentrate, whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate foams were analysed as an application. Foaming properties depended on the protein, the composition of the preparations and the foaming conditions, e.g., stable foams at 20 °C were observed for micellar casein, while sodium caseinate showed a half-life of 22 min. At 50 °C, the stability of sodium caseinate decreased by about 70%. Additionally, a direct link between the foaming properties of sodium caseinate and its degree of enzymatic hydrolysis was found. No changes in foaming properties using Alcalase^® 2.5L occurred up to a degree of hydrolysis of about 3%, while higher degrees of hydrolysis led to decreased foaming properties.     

Maximizing the value of milk through separation technologies.

Milk is the source of a wide range of proteins that deliver nutrition to the most promising new food products today. Isolated milk proteins are natural, trusted food ingredients with excellent functionality. Separation technologies provide the basis for adding value to milk through the production of proteins that provide the food industry with ingredients to meet specific needs, not possible with milk itself or with other ingredients. The major milk proteins, casein and whey protein, can be isolated by manipulating their compositional and physical properties and then by using various separation technologies to recover the proteins. Additionally, they can be processed in various ways to create a wide range of ingredients with diverse functional characteristics. These ingredients include milk protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, casein, caseinate, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, hydrolysates, and various milk fractions. Within each of these ingredient categories, there is further differentiation according to the functional and nutritional requirements of the finished food. Adding value to milk by expanding from consumer products to ingredients often requires different technologies, marketing structure and distribution channels. The worldwide market for both consumer products and ingredients from milk continues to grow. Technology often precedes market demand. Methods for the commercial production of individual milk components now exist, and in the future as clinical evidence develops, the opportunity for adding value to dairy products as functional foods with health benefits may be achieved. The research and development of today will be the basis of those value-added milk products for tomorrow.     

Effect of partial whey protein depletion during membrane filtration on thermal stability of milk concentrates

Membrane filtration technologies are widespread unit operations in the dairy industry, often employed to obtain ingredients with tailored processing functionalities. The objective of this work was to better understand the effect of partial removal of whey proteins by microfiltration (MF) on the heat stability of the fresh concentrates. The micellar casein concentrates were compared with control concentrates obtained using ultrafiltration (UF). Pasteurized milk was microfiltered (80 kDa polysulfone membrane) or ultrafiltered (30 kDa cellulose membrane) without diafiltration (i.e., no addition of water) to 2× and 4× concentration, based on volume reduction. The final concentrates showed no differences in pH, casein micelle size, or mineral concentration in the serum phase. The micellar casein retentates (obtained by MF) showed a 20 and 40% decrease in whey protein concentration compared with the corresponding UF milk protein concentrates for 2× and 4× concentration, respectively. The heat coagulation time decreased with increasing protein concentration, regardless of the treatment; however, MF retentates showed a higher thermal stability than the corresponding UF controls. The average diameter for casein micelles increased after heating in UF but not MF concentrates. The turbidity (measured by light scattering) increased after heating, but to a higher extent for UF retentates than for MF retentates at the same protein concentration. It was concluded that the reduced amount of whey protein in the MF retentates caused a significant increase in the heat stability compared with the corresponding UF retentates. This difference was not due to ionic composition differences or pH, but to the type and amount of complexes formed in the serum phase.     

Small and large deformation rheology and microstructure of κ-carrageenan gels containing commercial milk protein products

The rheological behaviour of commercial milk protein/κ-carrageenan mixtures in aqueous solutions was studied at neutral pH. Four milk protein ingredients; skim milk powder, milk protein concentrate, sodium caseinate, and whey protein isolate were considered. As seen by confocal laser microscopy, mixtures of κ-carrageenan with skim milk powder, milk protein concentrate, and sodium caseinate showed phase separation, but no phase separation was observed in mixtures containing whey protein isolate. For κ-carrageenan concentrations up to 0.5 wt%, the viscosity of the mixtures at low shear rates increased markedly in the case of skim milk powder and milk protein concentrate addition, but did not change by the addition of sodium caseinate or whey protein isolate. For κ-carrageenan concentrations from 1 to 2.5 wt%, small and large deformation rheological measurements, performed on the milk protein/κ-carrageenan gels, showed that skim milk powder, milk protein concentrate or sodium caseinate markedly improved the strength of the resulting gels, but whey protein isolate had no effect on the gel stength.     

EFFECTS OF FUNCTIONAL DAIRY BASED PROTEINS ON NONFAT YOGURT QUALITY

Production of nonfat yogurt demands a careful control of quality parameters. It is common to use skim milk powder (SMP) to increase the total solid content of nonfat yogurt, but some functional dairy-based proteins, such as casein/caseinates and whey proteins, may improve the quality of nonfat yogurt.
The objectives of this study were to use whey protein isolate (WPI), sodium caseinate (NaCn) and yogurt texture improver (TI) in nonfat yogurt manufacture as an alternative for SMP, and to compare their potential influences on the physical, chemical and microbial properties of nonfat yogurts over a 12-day storage. All dry ingredients were added at 1% (w/v) concentration to yogurt milk. Yogurts differed from each other with different hardness values. Acetaldehyde contents of yogurts were in the range of 35–43 ppm. The acetaldehyde content of all yogurt types decreased during storage. The control yogurt had the most tyrosine content, and the WPI-fortified yogurt had the least. Using different dry dairy ingredients did not affect the numbers of starter cultures. In addition, no significant differences were observed among yogurt types regarding their mineral composition.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Functional dry dairy ingredients can be used to increase the total solid content of nonfat yogurt instead of using skim milk powder (SMP) or evaporation. Their high protein content, water-binding capacity, texture improvement properties and health benefits make these proteins suited for use in nonfat yogurts. This study compares the possible effects of using whey protein isolate (WPI), sodium caseinate (NaCn) and yogurt texture improver (TI) as an alternative for SMP on the physical, chemical and microbial properties of nonfat yogurts. It was found that substitution of SMP for WPI, NaCn and TI at the level of 1% affected the physical, chemical and microbial properties of nonfat yogurt.     

Effects of varying time/temperature-conditions of pre-heating and enzymatic cross-linking on techno-functional properties of reconstituted dairy ingredients

The effects of varying time/temperature-conditions of pre-heating and cross-linking with transglutaminase (TG) on the functional properties of reconstituted products from skim milk, WPC and sodium caseinate was analyzed. The degree of cross-linking (DC) of skim milk proteins could be increased from 54.4% to 70.5% by varying process conditions. Thereby the water-holding capacity (WHC) increased from 10% to 20%, while the heat stability decreased. The burning-on was lower than that of the non-treated products at optimum pre-heating conditions (90 °C/30 s). Using sodium caseinate as substrate for TG the DC increased from 39.2% to 100% due to the improvement of the process. As a result the WHC increased by 30% and the heat stability up to 380%. However, the burning-on of casein increased as well. TG-treated sodium caseinate started to gel at 10% protein, whereas untreated sodium caseinate gelled not before 15% protein. The WHC of enzyme-treated whey proteins was lowered. The heat stability of WPC could be doubled by TG-treatment, and the burning-on of the products was, especially at optimum pre-heating conditions, less pronounced. The degree of denaturation of TG-treated whey proteins was 2–5% higher than that of untreated samples.     

Use of dairy proteins in lean poultry meat batters – a comparative study

The use of dry whole milk, skimmed milk, caseinate, regular and modified whey, at 2% level (w/w) and with 2% additional protein level was studied in a chicken breast meat system with 51% water addition. At the 2% (w/w) level, all dairy proteins significantly reduced cooking loss compared with the control, with caseinate showing the best results. When compared on an equal protein level (2% total protein), the best performing ingredients were the whole milk and modified whey. A similar observation was made in their effect on the products’ hardness and fracturability. A cost analysis revealed that modified whey provided the most economical ingredient even when used in quantities three times greater than that of as caseinate. Microscopy results showed the formation of larger fine‐protein‐matrix regions in the treatments that provided higher fracturability values.     

Influence of skimmed milk concentrate replacement by dry dairy products in a low fat set‐type yoghurt model system. I: Use of whey protein concentrates,milk protein concentrates and skimmed milk powder

Ten commercial samples of dry dairy products used for protein fortification in a low fat yoghurt model system at industrial scale were studied. The products employed were whey protein concentratres, milk protein concentrates, skimmed milk concentrates and skimmed milk powder which originated from different countries. The gross chemical composition of these dried products were determined, including polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) and isoelectric focusing of the proteins, and minerals such as Na, Ca, K and Mg. Yoghurts were formulated using a skim milk concentrated as a milk base enriched with different dry dairy products up to a 43 g kg⁻¹ protein content. Replacement percentage of skim milk concentrated by dry dairy products in the mix was between 1.49 and 3.77%. Yoghurts enriched with milk protein concentrates did not show significantly different viscosity (35.12 Pa s) and syneresis index (591.4 g kg⁻¹) than the two control yoghurts obtained only from skimmed milk concentrates (35.6 Pa s and 565.7 g kg⁻¹) and skimmed milk powder (32.77 Pa s and 551.5 g kg⁻¹), respectively. Yoghurt fortified with the whey protein concentrates, however, was less firm (22.59 Pa s) and had less syneresis index (216 g kg⁻¹) than control yoghurts. Therefore, whey protein concentrates may be useful for drinking yoghurt production. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Gastric digestion of milk protein ingredients: Study using an in vitro dynamic model

The coagulation behavior and the kinetics of protein hydrolysis of skim milk powder, milk protein concentrate (MPC), calcium-depleted MPC, sodium caseinate, whey protein isolate (WPI), and heated (90°C, 20 min) WPI under gastric conditions were examined using an advanced dynamic digestion model (i.e., a human gastric simulator). During gastric digestion, these protein ingredients exhibited various pH profiles as a function of the digestion time. Skim milk powder and MPC, which contained casein micelles, formed cohesive, ball-like curds with a dense structure after 10 min of digestion; these curds did not disintegrate over 220 min of digestion. Partly calcium-depleted MPC and sodium caseinate, which lacked an intact casein micellar structure, formed curds at approximately 40 min, and a loose, fragmented curd structure was observed after 220 min of digestion. In contrast, no curds were formed in either WPI or heated WPI after 220 min of digestion. In addition, the hydrolysis rates and the compositions of the digesta released from the human gastric simulator were different for the various protein ingredients, as detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE. Skim milk powder and MPC exhibited slower hydrolysis rates than calcium-depleted MPC and sodium caseinate. The most rapid hydrolysis occurred in the WPI (with and without heating). This was attributed to the formation of different structured curds under gastric conditions. The results offer novel insights about the coagulation kinetics of proteins from different milk protein ingredients, highlighting the critical role of the food matrix in affecting the course of protein digestion.     

Effects of milk proteins and gums on quality of bread made from frozen dough

BACKGROUND: Mixtures of milk proteins and gums incorporated into bread formulations may enhance the quality of bread and retard the deterioration of frozen dough. Our objective was to investigate the effects of mixtures of milk proteins (casein (C) and whey protein (W)) and gums (sodium alginate (A) and κ‐carrageenan (K) on the quality of bread made from frozen dough. We hypothesized that bread containing milk proteins and gums would be of improved quality. Milk proteins improve texture, moisture retention and specific volume, and reduce the size of ice crystals, while gums incorporated into the bread improve moisture retention, control water mobility and prevent the growth of ice crystals, so we hypothesized milk proteins and gums would suppress the quality deterioration of bread during frozen storage. RESULTS: We found that mixtures of milk proteins and gums proved effective with regard to the maintenance of the baking quality of frozen dough. Breads containing CA had a higher specific loaf volume than the control bread. The addition of WK enhanced crumb firmness during extended frozen storage. In sensory evaluation, the addition of WA and CA contributed to the improvement of baking quality, taste, texture and acceptability. CONCLUSION: These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that mixtures of milk proteins and gums improved baking quality by reducing the deterioration of frozen dough. These results indicate that the addition of CA and WA improved the bread quality and WK could effectively be used as an anti‐staling agent in bread. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Indicators of non-enzymatic browning in the evaluation of heat damage of ingredient proteins used in manufactured infant formulas

Twelve infant formula ingredients of animal origin (caseinates, whey proteins and hydrolysates of casein and of whey proteins) and three of vegetable origin (soybean proteins) were analyzed. Furosine, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and pyrraline were studied as indicators of thermal damage and available lysine as nutritional indicator, determined by HPLC in phase reverse and UV detector. The objectives were to evaluate heat damage to ingredients used in commercial infant formulas by measuring non-enzymatic browning indicators and to determine the nutritional value of these ingredients by available lysine determination. Very high furosine values were detected in whey proteins, ranging from 354 to 1,435 mg/100 g of protein. Lower furosine values were found in the remaining ingredients, ranging from 1.36 mg/100 g in hydrolyzed casein to 60.5 mg/100 g in sodium caseinate. Available lysine content ranged from 1.85 g/100 g of protein in hydrolyzed casein to 7.91 g/100 g in calcium caseinate. HMF was detected in whey protein samples between 0.16 and 2.47 mg/100 g of protein. Pyrraline was only detected in one sample of whey proteins at 41 mg/100 g of protein. Similar ingredients from different manufacturers show varied heat damage and nutritional values     

Dough characteristics of Irish wheat varieties II. Aeration profile and baking quality

The aeration profile of doughs made from Irish wheat varieties was examined during fermentation. The fermentation process was evaluated with a Chopin rheofermentometer and also by monitoring the dynamic dough density. Minimum dough density which indicates maximum dough expansion was correlated with maximum dough height reached in the rheofermentometer (r = −0.8). Baked loaves from the samples were evaluated for their overall quality. The poor baking potential of one variety (Trappe) as well as the low expansion capacity of another (Raffles) was discriminated from the results obtained from both tests. Loaf volume was correlated with the maximum dough height measured with the rheofermentometer and with the minimum dough density. The overall baking quality of the flours was evaluated by using 3D scatter plots which combined loaf volume with number of cells/mm² and intrinsic hardness. Using this technique, the varieties were divided into clusters depending on their baking quality. Principal Components Analysis was carried out incorporating all the measured dough and bread properties. The loading plot indicated that rheological parameters are those most likely to predict loaf volume whereas other crumb characteristics such as cell size and crumb hardness were difficult to relate to measured dough properties.     

Why semicarbazide (SEM) is not an appropriate marker for the usage of nitrofurazone on agricultural animals

A comprehensive global database on semicarbazide (SEM) in foodstuffs and food ingredients is presented, with over 4000 data collected in foods such as seafood (crustaceans, fish powders), meat (beef, chicken powders), dairy products (e.g. raw milk, milk powders, whey, sweet buttermilk powder, caseinate, yoghurt, cheese), honey and other ingredients. The results provide evidence that the presence of SEM in certain dairy ingredients (whey, milk protein concentrates) is a by-product of chemical reactions taking place during the manufacturing process. Of the dairy ingredients tested (c. 2000 samples), 5.3% showed traces of SEM > 0.5 µg/kg. The highest incidence of SEM-positive samples in the dairy category were whey (powders, liquid) and milk protein concentrates (35% positive), with up to 13 µg/kg measured in a whey powder. Sweet buttermilk powder and caseinate followed, with 27% and 9.3% positives, respectively. SEM was not detected in raw milk, or in yoghurt or cheese. Of the crustacean products (shrimp and prawn powders) tested, 44% were positive for SEM, the highest value measured at 284 µg/kg. Fish powders revealed an unexpectedly high incidence of positive samples (25%); in this case, fraudulent addition of shellfish shells or carry-over during processing cannot be excluded. Overall, the data provide new insights into the occurrence of SEM (for dairy products and fish powders), substantially strengthening the arguments that SEM in certain food categories is not a conclusive marker of the use of the illegal antibiotic nitrofurazone.     

Short communication: Determination of the whey protein index in milk protein concentrates

Milk protein concentrates are common ingredients in the dairy industry, with varying processing histories and composition. The objective of this research was to determine the feasibility of using the whey protein nitrogen (WPN) index, a well-established index for skim milk powder and nonfat dry milk, as a quality parameter for milk protein concentrates. The WPN index is a value based on the moisture-adjusted weight of skim milk powder. We hypothesized that WPN, even when standardized based on protein, may change depending on solubilization conditions of milk protein concentrates because of differences in solubilization conditions or processing history. The WPN was measured for model concentrates with different thermal history or reconstitution conditions. The WPN was not affected by an increased concentration of soluble casein in the dispersions nor after solubilization of the powder at 22 or 60°C. All reconstituted samples were standardized for protein. The WPN was also in full accordance with residual native protein measured by chromatography.