The Effects of Heat Treatment on Milk (2024)

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Milk offers a vital source of nutrients for growing babies and infants. Parents are encouraged to include milk into their children’s diets from a young age to provide them with a source of calcium, which is essential for growing strong bones and teeth, protein, for growth, fat, for brain and eye development, and a myriad of other essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, vitamin A, and zinc.

However, many parents choose to heat the milk they provide their children, often to provide a source of comfort or to reduce bacteria levels. Recent research has shown that the act of heating milk can be detrimental to the nutritional value of the drink, although, its impact on the common allergens in milk suggested that it may offer a potential method of developing hypoallergenic milk. Here, we discuss the data from the most recent studies on the effects of heat treatment on milk.

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Reduction in calcium content

Recent studies have shown that heating milk can reduce its calcium content. Given that one of the main reasons infants are fed milk is due to its high calcium content, these findings act as a caution to parents choosing to heat milk.

A 2016 study found that the calcium content of non-processed milk was reduced by 10-14% when it was boiled. It also found that the calcium content of pasteurized milk was reduced by 6-7% when boiled. Further analysis revealed that the decrease in calcium content was related to how the levels of ionic and soluble calcium in the sample changed.

These findings suggest that further research is needed to establish the full extent of the impact of heating milk on its calcium content. It should be taken into consideration that most studies have focused on the impact of boiling milk and further research is needed to understand the impact of heating milk at different temperatures. This knowledge could influence children’s nutrition and help parents to decide how to best prepare milk for their babies.

Reduction in vitamin and mineral content

B vitamins, such as B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamine, are essential for maintaining good overall health. They contribute to brain function, energy levels, and cell metabolism. Studies have shown that vitamin B can also prevent infections and can promote cell health.

Milk has high levels of B vitamins, however, these vitamins are particularly impacted by light and heat. Research has demonstrated that boiling milk can reduce its B vitamin content, with one study finding that boiling milk reduces its B vitamin content by around 25%. Another study found that boiling milk decreased its levels of folic acid by 36%. Finally, a further study revealed that levels of riboflavin dropped by 27% after the milk had been boiled.

Other studies highlight that the temperature and the duration that milk is heated for is related to how much its vitamin and mineral content depletes. Milk that is heated to 121 degrees C for 20 minutes has around 70% less ascorbic acid, 60% less thiamin and vitamin B6, and 30% less folate. These results stress that if milk is to be heated, shortening the time and temperature it is heated for could help the milk retain its nutritional value.

Hypoallergenic milk

Recent studies have shown that heating milk can reduce its immunological sensitizing capacity due to the heat denaturing the milk’s whey content. This means that it is less likely to trigger allergic responses in those sensitive to milk. Scientists have suggested that heat treatment may offer a way to create non-sensitizing baby milk without casein due to the heat-denatured whey. They hypothesize that the nutritional value of the milk could be restored after heat treatment by adding in vitamins and minerals.

As cows milk protein allergy (CMPA) is the most common allergy for infants, with roughly 2% to 7.5% of children across the world suffering from this allergy. Establishing a method of producing safe, hypoallergenic milk could have a significant impact.

The Effects of Heat Treatment on Milk (3)Image Credit: SizeSquares/Shutterstock.com

Impact on developing countries

Our deepening knowledge of the impact that heat treatment has on the nutritional value of milk is vital to improving infant health worldwide as milk remains a key part of children’s diets in different countries and cultures. Educating parents about the impact that boiling milk for long periods has on the vitamin and mineral content of milk is vital for enhancing the nutritional value of children’s diets.

Providing education to developing countries may have a significant impact on children’s health. For example, many parents in India believe that boiling milk increases its nutritional value, rather than reduces it. A recent survey found that around 59% of mothers believe this, and, therefore, boil their children’s milk as they believe it is healthier. In addition, another 24% did not believe that boiling milk had any impact on the milk’s nutritional value (whether good or bad).

Disseminating the findings of emerging studies on the heat treatment of milk is vital for improving health worldwide, allowing children to gain more nutrients from a dietary staple.

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Last Updated: Apr 12, 2021

The Effects of Heat Treatment on Milk (4)

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Sarah Moore

After studying Psychology and then Neuroscience, Sarah quickly found her enjoyment for researching and writing research papers; turning to a passion to connect ideas with people through writing.

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The Effects of Heat Treatment on Milk (2024)

FAQs

What is the effect of heat treatment on milk? ›

Heat treatment of milk is a technological process designed to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and extend the shelf life of products. The heating process directly affects the molecular structure of whey proteins by the process of denaturation. It leads to the formation of a whey protein-casein polymer complex.

What is effects of heat treatment of cow's milk on the nutritional quality? ›

Severe heat treatment of skimmed milk (121 degrees C for 20 min) destroyed all the vitamin B12, about 60% of the thiamin and vitamin B6, 70% of the ascorbic acid, and about 30% of the folate. Available lysine was reduced by 21% and lactulose was formed (166 mg/100 ml).

What are the effects of heat on milk and cream? ›

Two main effects occurring during heating of fat globules in milk and cream have been previously reported: the loss of membrane-constituent material and the formation of a new protein-polymerized surface (Dalgleish and Banks, 1991; van Boekel and Folkerts, 1994; Houlihan et al., 1992).

Which heat treatment can be given to milk? ›

UHT – Ultra high temperature treatment

UHT treatment sterilizes milk by treating it at a very high temperature for a short time. This process destroys all microorganisms, including spores, which are the most heat resistant and – if not eradicated – can germinate in packaged milk and spoil it.

What is the effect of heat treatment? ›

The heat treatment develops hardness, softness, and improves the mechanical properties such as tensile strength, yield strength, ductility, corrosion resistance and creep rupture. These processes also help to improve machining effect, and make them versatile.

What is the importance and effect of heat treatment process? ›

Heat treating can improve wear resistance by hardening the material. Metals (including steel, titanium, inconel, and some copper alloys) can be hardened either on the surface (case hardening) or all the way through (through hardening), to make the material stronger, tougher, more durable and more resistant to wear.

What is the effect of processing on milk? ›

This processing may alter the nutritive value of protein in a significant manner. The processing operations like thermal treatment, chemical treatment, biochemical processing, physical treatments, nonconventional treatments, etc. may exert positive or negative influence on nutritional quality of milk proteins.

What are the factors affecting milk quality? ›

It's all about comfort: The more comfortable the cow, the more milk it will produce. The less comfortable the cow, the less productive it is. Environmental factors include: Weather, climate and geography – Temperate climates with milder seasons put less stress on cows than climates with more extreme weather.

What are the effects of cow milk? ›

Milk and other dairy products are the top source of saturated fat in the American diet, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Studies have also linked dairy to an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.

How does heat affect protein in milk? ›

Milk heated at an elevated temperature (>70°C) causes denaturation of whey protein and favors the formation of the disulfide bond between κ-casein and denatured whey proteins and ultimate gel structure [4, 5].

Does heating milk affect calcium? ›

Conclusions. When milk is heated, its pH falls, ionic calcium decreases, and soluble divalent cations decrease. Changes in ionic calcium observed from dialysis over the temperature range from 20 to 80°C were in good agreement with those found for ultrafiltration.

What is the process of heating milk? ›

The most common method of pasteurization in the United States today is High Temperature Short Time (HTST) pasteurization, which uses metal plates and hot water to raise milk temperatures to at least 161° F for not less than 15 seconds, followed by rapid cooling.

Does heat destroy milk? ›

Vitamins and proteins are denatured and destroyed when milk is boiled at temperatures above 100 degrees Celsius for over 15 minutes. Milk is a vital source for Vitamin D and Vitamin B 12, which help in calcium absorption. Both these vitamins are highly heat sensitive and boiling milk destroys both substantially.

Why do we heat milk? ›

Now the question is: why do you boil milk? Some do it out of habit, some know that boiling kills germs and some to make it last longer. Boiling milk is an effective way of dealing with disease-causing organisms. Although it does not remove all impurities, it does kill most of the dangerous bacteria and other organisms.

What are the 4 effects of heat? ›

The important effects of heat on an object are :
  • Raises the temperature.
  • Increases volume.
  • Changes state.
  • Brings about chemical action.
  • Changes physical properties.

What is heat treatment process? ›

Heat Treatment Process Steps. In simple terms, heat treatment is the process of heating the metal, holding it at that temperature, and then cooling it back. During the process, the metal part will undergo changes in its mechanical properties. This is because the high temperature alters the microstructure of the metal.

What are the 5 main heat treatments? ›

Heat treatment techniques include annealing, case hardening, precipitation strengthening, tempering, carburizing, normalizing and quenching.

What is types of heat treatment? ›

What are the 4 Types of Heat Treating Processes? Common types of heat treating methods include annealing, hardening, quenching, and stress relieving, each of which has its own unique process to produce different results.

What are the factors that affect any heat treatment process? ›

Factors That Affect Hardenability
  • Transformations of Austenite. Heat treating steel requires that the component be heated into the austenite phase range. ...
  • Grain Size. The effect of grain size is similar to that of alloy additions. ...
  • Composition (Carbon and Alloying Elements) ...
  • Calculation of Hardenability.
17 Feb 2017

What is heat treatment advantages and disadvantages? ›

Heat treatment helps to get desired mechanical and chemical properties, to reduce stresses, prevent stress relief and distortion when put to service. Whilst the disadvantages include distortion, surface oxidation or other contamination, added cost, etc.

What are 5 factors that affect milk production? ›

Genetic background, climate, diseases, feeding, year and season of calving have been reported to affect milk production, lactation length and dry period [2, 3].

What is the effect of processing? ›

Effects of Processing

It's performed mainly to extend the shelf life of a food. Processing prevents spoilage, and therefore makes the food accessible to more people because it can travel farther. Processing also kills microorganisms that could grow and lead to disease.

How does temperature affect milk quality? ›

This study shows that as storage temperature increases, microbial activity will increase and the quality of milk will decrease. As cooling time increases, raw milk quality will decrease. Thus, it is important to cool milk quickly and to as low a temperature as possible.

How can you improve milk quality? ›

Mastitis in dairy cows and high somatic cell count go hand in hand.
...
Tips for Improving Milk Quality in Transition Cows
  1. Maintain good foot, leg and tail hygiene. ...
  2. Eliminate employee-caused problems. ...
  3. Practice proper milking procedure. ...
  4. Make sure your equipment is working properly. ...
  5. Incorporate dry-off management strategies.

Why is milk quality important? ›

Raw milk quality is important in producing all cheeses, but particularly for those made directly from raw milk. Low bacterial counts and low somatic cell counts are the key indicators of milk quality, and as their numbers increase, there is a higher risk for contamination of milk and cheese with pathogens.

Can adults drink milk? ›

If you aren't lactose-intolerant or allergic to dairy, it's totally OK to enjoy a regular glass of milk each day. From improving bone health to helping mitigate cognitive decline, drinking milk and incorporating other dairy items into your diet can come with some health benefits.

What is milk made of? ›

Whole cow's milk contains about 87% water. The remaining 13% contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Processing techniques remove fat to produce lower fat varieties: “reduced fat” contains 2% milkfat, “lowfat” contains 1% milkfat, and “nonfat” or “skim” has virtually no milkfat.

Should kids drink milk? ›

Your growing child needs vitamins and minerals like vitamin D and calcium to build strong bones. Pasteurized, whole cow's milk and soy beverages that have been fortified with vitamin D are good sources of vitamin D and calcium.

What are two effects of heat on protein? ›

Proteins present in plant and animal-based foods coagulate when heated. Proteins are long molecules, but when heat is applied, they start to break apart and lose moisture. This is why high protein foods shrink when cooked and why eggs can be served as a semi-liquid or solid. Coagulation begins at 140° F.

What is the result of heat treatment on proteins? ›

Heat treatments decreased the concentration of soluble crude protein and increased neutral detergent insoluble CP (NDICP) in all protein feeds compared to untreated.

What happens to milk protein if they are heated too high? ›

Milk, when heated at higher temperature (> 70 °C) results in unfolding of protein molecules which causes the exposure of hydrophobic sites and thus an increase in surface hydrophobicity (Parnell-Clunies et al. 1988).

Does heating milk affect vitamin D? ›

Vitamins and proteins are denatured and destroyed when milk is boiled at temperatures above 100 degrees Celsius for over 15 minutes. Milk is a vital source for Vitamin D and Vitamin B 12, which help in calcium absorption. Both these vitamins are highly heat sensitive and boiling milk destroys both substantially.

Can fresh milk be heated? ›

In the microwave

Tip: Room-temperature milk is better in recipes than cold milk, so use the microwave to take the chill off milk that is fresh from the refrigerator. Microwave 250 mL (1 cup) for 40 to 45 seconds* on high (100%). Note: Times are based on a 700-watt microwave oven.

Does heating milk reduce lactose? ›

Heating milk can actually break down some of the lactose to its component sugars, glucose and galactose, Drs. Reginald Garrett and Charles Grisham explain in their book "Biochemistry." This is especially true if you heat the milk for a long time. Unfortuately, the breakdown isn't enough to prevent symptoms.

What is heated milk called? ›

Boiling and Pasteurization

Pasteurization in the United States involves heating milk up to about 160°F for the purpose of killing bacteria that could make you sick. The boiling point of milk is about 212°F, so it is never actually brought to a boil during the pasteurization process.

How do you treat fresh milk? ›

Heat the milk to 63°C (150°F) for at least 30 minutes or 72°C (162°F) for at least 15 seconds. If the temperature falls lower than the one you're using, you have to start timing again.

What is heat stability of milk? ›

Abstract. The ability of milk and concentrated milk to withstand a defined heat treatment without noticeable changes such as flocculation of protein is commonly denoted as heat stability.

Does heated milk lose nutrients? ›

Fortunately I can put your mind at rest here, as the calcium in milk is actually very stable and unaffected by heating or processing. Neither do levels deteriorate when you leave milk open in the fridge.

How does temperature affect milk processing? ›

Our model has shown clear evidence that cows producing high quantities of milk are sensitive to heat and tend to decrease their milk production as the temperature increases. However, some individuals relatively increase their milk production as the temperature increases.

What affects the quality of milk? ›

It's all about comfort: The more comfortable the cow, the more milk it will produce. The less comfortable the cow, the less productive it is. Environmental factors include: Weather, climate and geography – Temperate climates with milder seasons put less stress on cows than climates with more extreme weather.

What is the best temperature for milk? ›

Store milk between 34°F and 38°F.

Milk stays fresher and tastes best longest, and will often be of good quality beyond the “sell-by date” if maintained at these temperatures. At warmer temperatures, spoilage bacteria are more likely to grow, shortening the practical shelf-life of the product.

Which factors are affected the quality and quantity of milk? ›

  • Maintanance conditions.
  • Feed and water supply.
  • Milking intervals.
  • Milking frequency.
  • Diseases.
  • Stress.
  • Other management factors…

How does heat stress affect milk production? ›

As ambient temperature increases in the summer months, and as body temperature concomitantly increases, cows decrease their feed intake to mitigate heat stress [19], thereby leading to a gradual decline in milk production and a change in milk content.

Does heat reduce milk production? ›

Heat encourages milk flow; cold therapy can help stop or lessen making milk. If you are very full, first apply heat, with either a shower or warm compress. Next, pump only enough to relieve your pain & extra fullness. After pumping, apply cold compress (baggie of frozen veggies) or cabbage leaves.

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