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ePaper created 2013-09-24, 11:56:35 | version 1.25.20
71 Dr. Ana Lucía Vásquez-Caicedo Phone +49 711 970-3669 analucia.vasquez@igb.fraunhofer.de Dipl.-Ing. Siegfried Egner Phone +49 711 970-3643 siegfried.egner@igb.fraunhofer.de Funding We would like to thank the European Union for funding the project “MicroMilk” in the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013), grant agreement no. 262603. Project partners C. Van‘t Riet Dairy Technology B. V., Nieukoop, Netherlands | Danthech UK LTD, Lancashire, UK | Rorosmeieiriet, Roros, Nor- way | Malthe Winje Automasjon AS, Oppegård, Norway | Schwarzwaldmilch GmbH, Freiburg | University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart Further information www.micromilk.eu University of Hohenheim (Fig. 1), including the newly devel- oped automation feature (Fig. 2). The integrated test facility was used to investigate the effects of the gradients of the temperature increase (dT/dt) on the heating of the milk components. Microwave heating enabled a 3-fold faster temperature rise in comparison to conventional indirect heating using heat exchangers to be achieved (under comparable flow and holding time conditions). There were no significant differences in the physico-chemical (e.g. furosine and HMF formation), microbiological, nutritional (e.g. vitamin B1) and organoleptic characteristics (color and taste) of the milk between both processes. The product quality achieved using microwave pasteurization is thus comparable to that of conventional pasteurization. The absence of the heat exchanger surface enables the oper- ating time between cleaning cycles to be increased. This saves water and energy and increases operating efficiency. Outlook To date, development has focused on the pasteurization of milk, the most commonly used process for the preservation of milk on the Central European market. However, the advan- tages of microwave heating regarding milk quality and the re- duced formation of deposits are even more significant in UHT heating. We are aiming for an extension of the MicroMilk- technique to UHT and other thermal applications in food in- dustry, especially for highly viscous milk products with low pH values. Furthermore, the MicroMilk system can be transferred to many other food and drink products. 1 The test facility, integrated into an existing pasteurization system at the University of Hohenheim. 2 MicroMilk control system. 3 Process validation in the laboratory. Abbreviations UHT ultra high temperature HACCP hazard analysis and critical control points HMF hydroxy methyl furfural GMP good manufacturing practice QFD quality function deployment 3 Contacts