Dairy and Food Engineering
Lecture No. 9
Sterilization - principles and equipment - UHT method - direct
and indirect heating - sterilization in the package - temperature
and pressure patterns - equipment for sterilizing goods in the
package - batch autoclaves, continuously operating sterilizers
Sterilized milk
Sterilized milk may be defined as milk which has
been heated to a temperature of 1000C or above and
held for sufficient time so that all living cells in the
milk are killed and the product remains fit for
human consumption for at least 7 days even stored at
room temperature.
The process requirement of high temp is 108-1110C
for 25 to 30 min.
The main disadvantage is increased cost and loss of
nutrients and slightly darker in color.
Types of Sterilization Plants
Batch sterilizer
In this sterilizer, milk is filled in the glass bottles and
capped.
These bottles are placed in baskets or carriage and
locked in stationary autoclave.
Autoclave is a high-pressure vessel, stationary or
mobile, hooked with steam connection on heating
Heat is transferred uniformly in the bottle for better
treatment.
Also, these autoclaves are made to revolve to
facilitate faster heating. It takes little long to bring
the desired temperature.
Thereafter, the temperature is maintained for 20-40
minutes to achieve sterilization.
After this holding, the steam/condensate is drained
and bottles are allowed to cool slowly
Final temperature of the bottle/milk is brought
down to 30-36oC.
The sterilizer has thermometer, steam pressure
gauge, convenient loading and unloading provision.
For better results, these instruments should be
maintained properly
Autoclaves
Continuous sterilizers
They are mainly of three types
a) cooker-coolers
b) hydrostatic sterilizers and
c) rotary sterilizers
Cooker-coolers
Cooker-coolers carry cans on a conveyor which pass
through three sections of a tunnel.
These sections are maintained at different pressures
for preheating, sterilization and cooling.
hydrostatic sterilizer
The hydrostatic sterilizer consists of a chamber
equipped with provision for steam injection.
The chamber that is partially full of water is
connected to two water columns (12 to 18 meter tall,
barometric leg) which are used to adjust pressure in
the chamber
If the height of the water columns is changed, the
steam pressure is changed and therefore the
maximum attainable temperature changes.
For example, to get a temperature of 116oC, a
difference in height between the two water columns
should be 10.7 m while for attaining 121oC
temperature in the chamber, the water column
difference should be 13.7 m
A conveyor with provision to accommodate cans of
different sizes moves through the steam chamber
carrying the food cans.
The heating time could be regulated by varying the
speed of the conveyor.
Hydrostatic sterilizers are very flexible and suitable
for large capacity plants.
However, size of the structure and high capital costs
are the major disadvantages of this system
Continuous rotary sterilizer
Continuous rotary sterilizer consists of several
horizontal inter linked cylinders which allow for
preheating, heating, precooling and cooling in upto
four continuous stages.
The vessel has a spiral track on the inner wall.
A spoke or reel within the centre of the cooker causes
the cans to roll along the spiral track.
Rotary valves used to interconnect the shells,
maintain pressure in the heating and cooling
sections
Sealed cans are introduced directly from the sealing
machines.
The contents inside the cans are mixed as cans travel
along the helix and therefore enhance heat transfer
and ensure less heat damage to the product.
Cans coming out of the cooker are directly taken to
labelling and palletizing machine.
Rotary sterilizers are particularly suitable for
processing of milk and milk based products, which are
extremely heat sensitive and susceptible to browning
UHT Sterilization
UHT milk can be defined as a product obtained by
heating milk in a continuous flow to a temperature in
excess of 125ºC for not less than two seconds and
immediately packaging in sterile packages under
aseptic conditions.
In India, UHT milk is generally processed at 140oC
for 2 seconds.
Heating of milk results in death of microorganisms
While some bacteria are destroyed by pasteurization
(71.7OC/15 s) only, some survive this thermal
treatment.
Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus stearothermophillus
spores are very heat resistant.
Of the two, Bacillus stearothermophillus spores are
most heat resistant.
It is therefore, considered index organism for
evaluating performance of UHT processing
Heating of milk at higher temperatures also result in
undesirable changes in chemical quality.
Browning reactions are particularly important.
Higher thermal load results in more browning and
therefore loss of flavour and quality
In the temperature range of 100-120oC, time required for
death of almost all B. stearothermophillus spores are more.
This may therefore result in more browning in the product.
However, if milk is treated in the UHT range i.e. 135-150oC
for only few seconds, almost all spores may get killed and
browning would be minimum
Loss of nutrients and total quality also will be minimum.
A product processed in this temperature range will be thus
microbiologically safe and yet superior in terms of overall
quality
Types of Sterilization Plants
There are two types of UHT plants:
Direct type and Indirect type
In direct type plants, heating is done by mixing
product and steam.
In indirect type plant, product is heated by steam or
hot water without the two coming in direct contact.
Heating in direct type plant is very rapid particularly
between 80-140oC and total heat load is less
Changes in the product quality are therefore
minimum.
In indirect plant, rise in temperature is very gradual.
Therefore, heat load on the product is more.
Changes in chemical quality are comparatively more
in indirect type than in direct type plants
Direct Heating Plant
There are two types of direct heating plants
a) Injection type and
b) Infusion type
Injection type
Processing is through steam-into-milk arrangement. Steam injector
is the heart of this plant.
Preheated milk at 80-90OC enters the injector nozzles from one side.
Steam at slightly higher pressure enters the injector from the other
side.
As the steam mixes with milk, steam condenses and the product is
rapidly heated.
Rapid condensation of steam prevents entry of air in holding tube.
Air in holding tubes results in improper heating. Backpressure is
maintained on the discharge side.
Backpressure ensures that product does not boil in holding tube.
Boiling may result in fouling and improper heating of milk. Several
designs of injector are available
Infusion type
In this system, milk is heated by milk-into-steam
arrangement.
The processing unit consists of a chamber filled with
pressurized steam.
Milk enters the chamber from the top. There are two
alternative arrangements for distribution of milk. In the first
type, milk flows to a hemispherical bowl with loose circular
disc closing the top.
When the bowl is full, milk overflows and falls in droplets
through the steam environment.
In an alternative arrangement, milk flows through a series of
parallel and horizontal distribution tubes
These tubes have slits along the bottom and milk
flows like a thin film through the chamber.
As milk reaches the bottom of the chamber, it is
heated to desired temperature.
This system is particularly suitable for thicker liquids
and for liquids suspended with smaller chunks
Dairy and Food Engineering
Lecture No. 10
Homogenization - emulsion - types of emulsions - principles -
application, mode of operation, technical execution, effect on the
product - equipment related to homogenization
Homogenized milk
Milk is an oil-in-water emulsion.
Fat globules in the milk are dispersed in a
continuous water phase (skim milk) and normally
vary in sizes ranging from 1 µm to 22 µm, with a
mean size of approximately 3-4 µm.
As the density of milk fat is less than that of skim
milk, the fat globules tend to rise to the surface
during storage and form a cream layer.
The rise of fat globules follows Stoke’s law where the
velocity of rising fat globules is expressed as:
Where, d = diameter of the fat globule,
rs = density of the serum phase,
rf = density of milk fat and
n = viscosity of milk serum
Homogenization is a mechanical treatment of the fat
globules in milk brought about by passing milk under
high pressure through a tiny orifice, which results in a
decrease in the average diameter (<1 µm) and an increase
in number and surface area, of the fat globules.
10 times in reduction in mean diameter
Interfacial surface area increases by 10 times.
Number of fat globules will 10ooo times greater than
untreated milk
The net result, from a practical view, is a much reduced
tendency for creaming of fat globules
Three factors contribute to this enhanced stability of homogenized
milk:
A decrease in the mean diameter of the fat globules
(a factor in Stokes Law),
A decrease in the size distribution of the fat globules
(causing the speed of rise to be similar for the
majority of globules such that they don't tend to
cluster during creaming), and
An increase in density of the globules (bringing them
closer to the continuous phase) owing to the
adsorption of a protein membrane
Homogenization Mechanism
To understand the mechanism, consider a conventional
homogenizing valve processing an emulsion such as
milk at a flow rate of 20,000 l/hr. at 14 MPa (2100 psig).
As it first enters the valve, liquid velocity is about 4 to 6
m/s.
It then moves into the gap between the valve and the
valve seat and its velocity is increased to 120 meter/sec
(100 to 250) in about 0.2 millisec
This causes high shearing stresses, cavitation and micro
turbulence
The liquid then moves across the face of the valve
seat (the land) and exits in about 50 microsec.
The homogenization phenomena is completed before
the fluid leaves the area between the valve and the
seat, and therefore emulsification is initiated and
completed in less than 50 microsec
The whole process occurs between 2 pieces of steel in
a steel valve assembly.
The product may then pass through a second stage
valve similar to the first stage.
While most of the fat globule reduction takes place in
the first stage, there is a tendency for clumping or
clustering of the reduced fat globules.
The second stage valve permits the separation of
those clusters into individual fat globules (20 to 40
kg cm-2
In the process of homogenization, mechanical
energy is converted into heat
The temperature rise varies linearly with operating
pressure but does not depend on the rate of milk
flow
The rise in temperature is given by:
θ = p/40 where p is homogenizing pressure kg cm-2
Homogenizer are high pressure reciprocating pumps
having three or five pistons
Throughput through a homogenizer is controlled by
Adjusting the piston stroke of piston pump or
By variable speed regulating device
Pressure gauge is used to measure the operating
pressure
Pressure required depends on fat content,
temperature and other physical and chemical
characteristics of the material
Parts of a homogenizer
Valve
Main component of a homogenizer
Poppet type valve
Homogenizer pump
3 to 5 cylinder plunger type pump maintaining pressure upto
250 kg cm-2
Run either by a v belt or by a reduction gear
Made of stainless steel
Can readily be disassembled for cleaning
Accessories
Inlet strainer, pressure relief valve and pressure gauge
Effect of homogenization
Expressed as mean droplet diameter of the disintegrated fat
globules
As there are 80% less 1 µm size dia particles, Volume surface
diameter is often used
d m = Σ Ni di3 / Σ Ni di2
d m mean droplet diameter
N = number of droplets with dia di for the range i
Homogenization becomes less effective as fat
increases
With high pressures homogenization efficiency
decreases
At high fat content with temperature
homogenization efficiency increases. 60 – 70 degrees
is the best temperature. Should not be less than 54
Degree of homogenization defined by Kurzals
Ratio of volume of fat with fat globules dia of <0.7 µm to the
total fat content of the milk or cream
