BREAKING STRESS AND SYNERESIS OF RENNIN CURDS FROM RECONSTITUTED SKIMMILK FROZEN CONCENTRATE

Skim milk was concentrated to 17-18% solid non-fat (SNF) by reverse os mosis and then stored at -20 +/- 2 degrees C. Samples were thawed, rec onstituted, and manufactured into rennin curds. Breaking stress and sy neresis of curds increased with calcium or magnesium, and decreased as pH values increased. Breaking stress and syneresis of curds prepared from skim milk reconstituted from a frozen concentrate (SMRFC) were lo wer than of curds from raw or heated skim milk. The formation of curds results from a three-dimensional network of protein chain and cluster s, and the addition of calcium chloride resulted in partial disintegra tion of the micelle, producing larger particles. Curds from raw milk s howed more protein aggregatiom curds from SMRFC, and also had a more o pen matrix.