Processing Parameter Effects on Physiochemical Properties of Natural and Reformulated Creams

Skim, sweet buttermilk, and butter-derived aqueous phase components were used to reemulsify low-melt butteroil into creams with a desired 20% milkfat. The implications of pasteurization process, homogenization sequence, and formulation on the physicochemical properties of reformulated and natural creams were investigated. Creams homogenized prior to pasteurization had significantly (p<0.05) greater amounts of milkfat surface material per gram of cream and per gram of lipid compared to creams homogenized after pasteurization. Significantly (p<0.05) higher percentages of available phospholipid also were associated with the milkfat surface material of creams homogenized prior to pasteurization. Phosphodiesterase, a marker enzyme within the native milkfat globule membrane, was in significantly (p<0.05) higher activity relative to protein on lipid globule surface when cream was homogenized prior to pasteurization. Creams that underwent pasteurization prior to homogenization had significantly (p<0.05) higher protein load associated with the milkfat surface material. Natural cream homogenized prior to pasteurization had significantly (p<0.05) greater milkfat surface material per gram lipid than natural cream homogenized after pasteurization and buttermilk / aqueous phase (AP) reformulated cream homogenized after pasteurization. In contrast, natural cream homogenized after pasteurization and BM / AP reformulated cream homogenized after pasteurization had significantly (p<0.05) greater amounts of protein per 10 mg of milkfat surface material than all other formulation / homogenization sequence combinations. In addition, natural cream homogenized prior to pasteurization, and skim milk (SM) reformulated cream pasteurized prior to or after homogenization had significantly (p<0.05) higher percentages of available phospholipid associated with the milkfat surface material than natural cream homogenized following pasteurization. Pasteurization temperature had a significant (p<0.05) effect on apparent viscosity of natural and reformulated creams. All UHT pasteurized natural and reformulated creams had significantly (p<0.05) greater apparent viscosities at all shear rates monitored than HTST pasteurized natural and reformulated creams. At a failing curve shear rate of 692 s UHT pasteurized cream reformulated with BM / AP had significantly (p<0.05) greater viscosity than UHT pasteurized natural cream and cream reformulated with skim component. HTST pasteurized natural cream had significantly (p<0.05) greater viscosities than HTST pasteurized cream reformulated with skim component. Moreover, at a shear rate of 2769 s and a rising shear rate of 1384 s HTST pasteurized natural cream had significantly