Homogenization Of Milk

Milk is an emulsion that is homogenized to reduce the average particle size, which improve its consistency and extends shelf life. The homogenization process is expensive and careful control of the process can improve quality and consistency and reduce operating costs.

Milk is a very complex food containing over 100,000 different molecular species. Cow's milk is composed of 87% water, 3.5% protein, 3.7% fat, 4.9% lactose, and 0.7% salts. The main components of interest are protein and fat globules.

The proteins, referred to as casein particles combine together with calcium and phosphate to form aggregates with a well-defined structure. Their typical size is in the range of 100 nm. They are white, tasteless and odorless and are used to make food, paint, and adhesives. In contrast, the fat globules in raw unhomogenized milk are between 1-10 μm, while in homogenized milk the size range is 0.2-2 μm.