CHEMICAL-CHANGES DURING MICROWAVE TREATMENT OF MILK

Raw milk was heated in a microwave oven at 2450 MHz in order to study the effect on the main chemical changes taking place during heating pr ocesses: lactose isomerization, Maillard reaction and protein denatura tion. Lactulose, epilactose, furosine and undenaturated whey proteins were measured as indicators of the heat damage in milk. Comparison wit h control samples treated by conventional heating showed a rate enhanc ement of the studied reactions during microwave treatment. These diffe rences are supposed to be due, at least to some extent, to uneven heat ing of the milk in the microwave oven. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd