Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 June 2009
A preliminary investigation was carried out on the effects of two ranges of temperature (room and refrigerator) on the creaming properties of cows' and buffaloes' milk. The results reported show that:
(1) While refrigerator temperature favoured the creaming of cows' milk, it greatly retarded the creaming of buffaloes' milk. This retarding effect was associated with a smaller cream-layer volume and a greater percentage of fat in the skim milk.
(2) At room temperature, the creaming of buffaloes' milk proceeded much more rapidly, suggesting that fat clumping was probably being induced.
(3) For both kinds of milk, when creamed at room temperature, the maximum values of the cream-layer volume and the specific cream-volume were found to be less than when creaming occurred in the refrigerator: reverse temperature relationships were observed in connexion with the maximum fat content of the skim milks.
In conclusion, it may be added that the observed variations in the cream-layer volume, and the fat content of the skim milks resulting from creaming at the two different temperature levels and for the varying lengths of time, would clearly result in some variability in any cheese made from such milk. This would particularly affect the yield, quality, composition and nutritive value of the cheese.