Milk concentrate, also known as milk powder or milk solids, is made primarily by removing water, minerals, and lactose from skim milk. This process significantly increases the concentration of milk proteins and other solids.
The Milk Concentration Process
The creation of milk concentrate (MPC) involves several key steps:
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Starting Material: The process typically begins with skim milk, which has had the fat removed. This is because fat can hinder the efficiency of some processing steps.
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Filtration Technologies: Ultrafiltration is the core technology used. This membrane filtration process separates water and smaller molecules (like lactose) from larger molecules (like proteins). Sometimes, diafiltration is also used in conjunction with ultrafiltration. Diafiltration involves adding water to the concentrate stream to further rinse out remaining lactose and minerals, resulting in a higher protein concentration.
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Spray Drying: After filtration, the concentrated milk is dried using spray drying. This process involves atomizing the liquid into tiny droplets, which are then sprayed into a hot air stream. The rapid evaporation of water leaves behind a dry milk powder.
In summary: MPC is primarily produced by removing water, minerals, and lactose from skim milk through ultrafiltration (with or without diafiltration) and then spray drying the resulting concentrate. This process significantly increases the concentration of milk proteins and other valuable components.
