“Fouling”: review of the deposition and destabilization of milk proteins during processing

Abstract

Fouling is a phenomenon of deposition of proteins and/or minerals that occurs on the surface of heat exchangers, inside membrane pores, causing encrustation in this equipment and, consequently, deposition on the bottom of UHT milk cartons. This encrustation can be of type A or B, depending on whether its majoritarian constituent is proteins or minerals, respectively. Several factors are inherent to fouling: High temperatures used in milk processing, such as UHT technology; protein stability, especially caseins, which are organized in the form of micelles and have been studied by scientists all over the world; pH; salt balance; the presence of microorganisms. Through this article, we sought to understand what fouling is so that it is possible to find a solution to this problem in the dairy industry, which affects not only the production chain but also the quality of the final product and its shelf life, influencing thus in the consumer's choice.