Monitoring milk fat fractionation: Filtration properties and crystallization kinetics

The effect of fractionation temperature, residence time, and agitation rate on the chemical composition of the stearin and olein milk fat fractions was studied. During fractionation, filtration properties of the crystal suspension were monitored; crystallization kinetics was determined by H-1 NMR. Higher fractionation temperatures result in a lower stearin yield, more oil entrapment, and a lower final solid fat content of the crystal suspension. On the other hand, the chemical composition of the resulting fractions is not influenced. Longer residence times lead to longer filtration times and lower oil entrapment, whereas the yield is not affected. Longer residence times induce lower growth rates, but chemical composition is not influenced. Agitation rates varying from 10 to 15 rpm have no influence on the chemical composition of stearin and olein milk fat fractions. Higher agitation rates decrease the filtration quality and increase stearin yield, causing a softer stearin. In designing and monitoring milk fat fractionation, filtration experiments and the assessment of crystallization kinetics are valuable techniques, but compositional chemical analysis is not favorable.