Heat and Fermentation Effects on Total Nonprotein Nitrogen and Urea in Milk

Kinetic analysis was applied to the increase of NPN and the decrease in urea when milk was heated at 80, 100 and 120°C. NPN increase with heat followed zero‐order kinetics with an energy of activation of 17 kcal/mole. Urea losses with heating followed pseudo first‐order kinetics with an energy of activation of 20 kcal/mole. Commercial yogurt and leben fermentation processes were used to determine the effects of fermentation on NPN and urea. Yogurt and leben fermentations increased NPN by 150 mg/kg and 208 mg/L, respectively, but had no effect on urea.