APPLICATION OF MICROPARTICLE-ENHANCED NEP HELOMETRIC IMMUNOASSAYS OF ALPHA-CASEINS, BETA-CASEINS AND KAPPA-CASEINS TO EVALUATE QUALITY OF MILK, FROM THE PRODUCTION TO THE VALORIZATION IN CHEESE INDUSTRY
P. Montagne et al., APPLICATION OF MICROPARTICLE-ENHANCED NEP HELOMETRIC IMMUNOASSAYS OF ALPHA-CASEINS, BETA-CASEINS AND KAPPA-CASEINS TO EVALUATE QUALITY OF MILK, FROM THE PRODUCTION TO THE VALORIZATION IN CHEESE INDUSTRY, Le Lait, 75(3), 1995, pp. 211-237
alpha-, beta- and kappa-caseins were assayed, using a microparticle-en
hanced nephelometric immunoassay, in 1300 milk samples, collected fort
nightly during 13 months (october 1992 to october 1993), from 50 herds
from Normandie (France). The concentration of these three caseins was
compared with those of other milk compounds (protein, fat, lactose an
d dry matter). The main factors defining milk composition and related
to the farm, herd, herd management and feeding, were then studied. The
biochemical composition and rennet-coagulation (rennet coagulation ti
me, firming time K15, and firmness parameter A30) were evaluated durin
g the same period, in raw and fat-standardized milks, used in an indus
trial production of cheese. Performed in short and narrow limits, our
work was a global study on milk from the production to the valorizatio
n in cheese industry. It allowed to confirm well known and copiously p
ublished results concerning milk biochemistry (relations between compo
sition parameters, evolution and variability of these parameters), zoo
technology (influence of breed, pedologic potentialities of the grazin
g soils, seasonal distribution of calving, feeding conditions of trans
ition from stabbling to pasture) and cheese-making (relative influence
of the parameters of composition on the rennet-coagulability bf milk
and cheese-making yields). Microparticle-enhanced nephelometric immuno
assay, allowing a specific and accurate assessment of the milk casein,
thus appeared as an immunoanalytical method, completing the tradition
al tools for the evaluation of milk quality.