PILOT-PLANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF EVAPORA TED MILK AND OTHER STERILE CONCENTRATES WITH A MODIFIED PROCESS

During conventional production of evaporated milk and other sterile co ncentrates the milk ingredients are at least subjected to double heat treatment with intermediate cooling. The modified process which is ene rgetically distinctly more favourable involves the sterilization and e vaporation during one thermal step. The concentration step follows imm ediately the heating-up and holding phases of sterilization. The pilot plant built allows various temperature/time combinations to be chosen for the production of sterile milk concentrates having different prop erties. Although the modified process is less suitable for the product ion of usual evaporated milk, requiring severe heat-induced changes fo r longterm stability, it allows the production of special low-heat ste rile concentrates. Electron microscopic studies revealed differences i n the structure and distribution of the fat and protein phases.