EFFECT OF MILK CONCENTRATION, PH AND TEMPERATURE ON KAPPA-CASEIN HYDROLYSIS AT AGGREGATION, COAGULATION AND CURD CUTTING TIMES OF ULTRAFILTERED MILK

The extent of k-casein hydrolysis at various stages of coagulation was measured by determining kinetics of glyco-macropeptides in renneted u ltrafiltered (UF) milk. The k-casein hydrolysis at aggregation time (A T), coagulation time (CT) and curd cutting time (CCT) decreased with a n increase in milk concentration (1X to 3X), and a decrease in pH (6.8 to 6.0), however, temperature had no effect. The observed CCT was low er than the calculated CCT corresponding to 95% kappa-casein hydrolysi s for 2 fold and 3 fold concentrated UF milk. This suggested that the curd should be cut later than observed CCT to achieve 95% casein hydro lysis with the possibility to get higher cheese yield.