Processing of extended shelf life milk using microfiltration

Extended shelf life (ESL) milk was processed with integrated microfiltration (pore size 1.4 µm). The germ-enriched retentate was not used for the final whole milk. Microfiltration led only to a negligible change in the content of the main components of the ESL product compared with the source milk. The total protein was only slightly decreased (0.02–0.03%) and the ratio of the protein fractions was unchanged within the measurement accuracy. The furosine content of the isolated fat globuline membrane fraction could be used as a diagnostic to prove cream had been subjected to high-temperature treatment. The shelf life of the ESL milk was distinctly prolonged compared to HTST-pasteurized milk.