Four vitamin B12 assays were compared using blood sera from Friesian cows on winter diets or grazing. In herd 1, ten animals were blood-sampled three times at monthly intervals and the vitamin B12 concentration of the sera determined by the Poteriochromonas malhamensis and Lactobacillus delbrueckii assays. At all three sampling dates the results produced by the P. malhamensis assay were significantly greater than those produced by the L. delbrueckii assay. Cows in herd 2 were divided into two groups, each of 30 animals. One group was given a soluble glass bolus releasing cobalt and the other was unsupplemented. Milk yields were recorded throughout the experimental period and herbage samples were taken at intervals for cobalt determinations. Blood samples were taken at intervals from January to September 1983 and the vitamin B12 concentration of the sera determined by four different assay methods: the P. malhamensis and L. delbrueckii microbiological assays and the Becton Dickinson and RIA Products ‘No-boil’ radioassays. The last of these failed to detect vitamin B12 in any sample. There was a significant difference between the results obtained by the three other assays, with the Becton Dickinson radioassay consistently producing the lowest result and the P. malhamensis assay the highest result of the three. There was no significant effect of cobalt supplementation on milk yield.

In order to standardize a radioimmunoassay of milk progesterone as a routine method for confirmation of oestrus and diagnosis of pregnancy in water buffalo, monoclonal antibodies against progesterone were produced. Hybridomas were prepared by fusing spleen cells from a Balb/c mouse immunized with progesterone 11α-hemisuccinate–bovine serum albumin conjugate with the mouse myeloma cell line NS-1. Thirty wells out of 94 secreted anti-progesterone antibodies. Of the ten independent hybridomas derived, one (AF65) was suitable for the quantification of milk progesterone by radioimmunoassay. The tracer used in the assay was progesterone-11α-hemisuccinate ([2-125I]iodohistamine). The sensitivity of the assay was 50 pg/tube. The mean progesterone concentration at oestrus was 0·8±0·2 ng/ml increasing to 8·5±0·8 ng/ml 24 d later in pregnant animals.

The effects of αs1-, β-, κ-casein and β-lactoglobulin genetic variants on rennet clotting time, rate of curd firming and coagulum strength, measured on the individual milks of 306 Rendena cows by a lactodynamographic apparatus, were evaluated statistically, with simultaneous adjustment for environmental and physicochemical factors. The importance of genetic polymorphism was confirmed, especially for the main effects of casein loci: interaction among them was not found to be significant. For κ-casein, BB genotype showed the best coagulation parameters (lower rennet clotting time, a higher rate of curd firming and higher coagulum strength), with AB in an intermediate position for clotting time and rate of curd firming. However, for αs1-casein and β-casein, dominance and overdominance effects between alleles were observed. Herd by genotype interaction was also found to be significant (herd by β-casein) or close to significance level (herd by κ-casein). From the results of the analyses, suggestions for selection programmes have been made.

Most (98%) of the fat in human milk is present as triglycerides. This paper describes the use of a clarification procedure that enables the level of human milk fat to be determined by measurement of glycerol released by enzymic hydrolysis of triglycerides. The method requires only 10–50 μl milk, thus presenting a possible technique for work with small mammals, and is suitable for use with autoanalysers, permitting rapid sample throughput.

24 ultra heat treated (UHT) and 17 in-bottle sterilized milks prepared in commercial plants and of a similar age were presented to taste panels for assessment of flavour and colour. The colour was also analysed instrumentally and the lactulose content of the milks measured by an enzymic method. Flavour defects, other than the cooked flavour, were scored very low. The lactulose content of the milks was negatively correlated with the acceptability of the milks and positively correlated with the cooked flavour. Correlations were also found between the visual and instrumental assessments of milk colour and between some of the instrumental colour parameters and the lactulose content of the milks. UHT and in-container sterilized milks could not always be distinguished on the basis of their organoleptic qualities. The best distinction was observed in the scores for cooked smell and acceptability of taste. The usefulness of the lactulose content and/or the colour of the milks in discriminating between UHT and in-bottle sterilized milks was calculated. Using all the data, sterilized milk could be correctly identified in 96·7% of decisions. The lactulose content of a milk was considered to give a good indication of the organoleptic quality of the milk.

On heating casein micelle systems containing β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) at 90°C for 10 min, β-lg complexed with casein micelles at pH < 6·9, probably as a result of interaction with κ-casein via sulphydryl-disulphide interchange, and co-sedimented with the micelles on ultracentrifugation. Complex formation with β-lg appeared to prevent the dissociation of micellar κ-casein on heating. However, at pH ≥ 6·9, κ-casein/β-lg complexes dissociated from the micelles on heating, thus enhancing the release of micellar κ-casein. High concentrations of β-lg (≥0·8%) induced coagulation at pH 7·3, essentially by promoting the dissociation of micellar κ-casein. It appeared that αs1-, αs2-, β- and κ-caseins dissociated from serum protein-free casein micelles to equal extents, but the presence of β-lg specifically enhanced the dissociation of κ-casein at pH values ≥ 6·9. Micelle hydration increased slightly when casein micelles were heated in the presence of β-lg at pH 6·7, while at pH 7·3 β-lg decreased the degree of hydration of casein micelles. Formation of a complex between β-lg and κ-casein appeared to stabilize the micelles in the pH range 6·5–6·7, possibly via increased micellar charge or degree of hydration or by preventing the dissociation of κ-casein.

Reducing the colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP) content of milk by 40% or increasing it by 20% did not significantly affect the heat-induced pH-dependent dissociation of micellar κ-casein. However, changes in soluble Ca and phosphate affected the dissociation of κ-casein markedly; decreasing the phosphate concentration or increasing the Ca concentration reduced the formation of non-sedimentable N (NSN) and non-sedimentable 12% TCA-insoluble N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (NANA). Dialysis of milk against water for short periods (∼ 5 h) reduced the formation of both NSN and non-sedimentable 12% TCA-insoluble NANA, as did NaCl at concentrations above 0·05 M. Modification of protein amino groups by succinylation promoted the release of κ-casein while amidation of carboxyl groups had the opposite effect. It appears that the pH-dependent dissociation of κ-casein produced on heating milk above 90°C is controlled by electrostatic interactions. The effects of soluble ions such as Ca2+ or Na+ appear to be due to shielding of such negatively-charged groups as seryl phosphate and carboxyl on the protein, thus reducing the release of κ-casein.

Three strains of psychrotrophic Pseudomonas spp., each with different lipolytic and proteolytic phenotypes (including a proteinase-deficient mutant), were cultured separately in whole milk at 7°C. Growth rates were the same during logarithmic growth phase, but during early stationary phase the cell densities were related to the activities of lipase and proteinase in the cultures. Only one strain underwent pronounced death phase. Proteinase activity was not detected in the culture of the proteinase-deficient mutant, but in those of the other strains it increased to a plateau, or continued to increase linearly. Lipase activity of the culture of each strain reached a peak in early stationary phase; in late stationary phase activity was highest for the proteinase-deficient mutant strain where degradation of lipase by bacterial proteinase would have been least. The ability of psychrotrophic bacteria both to survive for long periods and to produce high levels of proteinases and lipases on prolonged incubation in milk emphasizes the spoilage potential arising from psychrotrophic bacteria in inadequately cleaned dairy equipment.

Kareish cheese was made from ultrafiltered milk (UF) and standard milk and the chemical composition, organoleptic properties and microstructure of the cheese compared. Cheese made with the UF had higher moisture, protein, fat, pH, soluble N, non-protein N, amino acid N, tryptophan and free amino acids than the standard cheese. The microstructure of both types of cheese was very similar, while the organoleptic properties were more acceptable in the UF cheese.

Thirty six samples of Manchego and 36 of Burgos cheese from retail outlets were examined. The mean log microbiological counts/g in Manchego cheese were 2·6 coliforms, 3·76 enterococci, 7·07 lactic acid bacteria, 8·02 mesophiles, 3·84 psychrotrophs 4·47 yeasts and moulds and 4·11 staphylococci, and in Burgos cheese were 7·17, 3·45, 7·25, 8·89, 8·18, 5·09 and 5·12 respectively. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were detected only in three samples of Manchego cheese, one of these isolates producing enterotoxin A. Staphylococcal thermonuclease was detected in eight samples of Manchego and 12 of Burgos cheese, the mean values of enzyme detected being 0·29 and 0·32 ng/g cheese respectively. Staphylococcal enterotoxins were not detected in any of the cheeses tested. Possible relationships between microbial counts and physicochemical characteristics were investigated by regression analysis.