Modeling of particle size distribution of heat assisted high-pressure treated reconstituted cow milk: Effect of high pressure, pressurization time and heat treatment temperature

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of high pressure, pressurization time and heat treatment temperature on particle size distribution of fat globules in reconstituted cow milk during heat assisted high-pressure (HAHP) processing of milk. The high pressure, pressurization time and heat treatment temperature were varied between 200 and 600MPa, 0 and 25min, and 15 and 65°C, respectively. Particle size distribution of the HAHP-treated milk showed that the number of fat globules below 1×10 ^-6m increased as pressure and pressurization time increased. However, higher temperature had a negative effect on the particle size due to aggregation of casein micelles around the fat globule at higher temperature. Modeling of particle distribution by Rosin-Rambler-Sperling-Bennet equation was observed to be a good fit for prediction of uniformity of index n and average statistical diameter D _s. The values of n ranged from 0.931 to 1.318, and D _s from 1.68×10 ^-6 to 3.12×10 ^-6m. Linear regression fitting of n and D _s as a function of high pressure, pressurization time and heat treatment temperature showed a good fit with relative deviation percent (R _d) value of 6.02% and 8.12%, respectively.