Direct-Steam Injection System for Processing Fluid Milk Products

In recent years a trend has developed towards ultrahigh-temperature processing of fluid milk products.Several commercially manufactured units are available for heating fluids to various high temperatures.These can be classed as heat exchangers (plate or tubular) or direct-steam injectors.The use of direct-steam injection heating in food processing has been discussed by Morgan (2) and the mechanics of control over the steam system have been established (1-3).A number of potential advantages to be realized, particularly from high-temperature treatments, are better keeping quality in the finished product, removal of volatile flavor compounds when vacumn treatment is incorporated, and better process control in terms of quality characteristics of the finished product.This paper will describe the system developed, with some adaptations for use in a research program involving physical and chemical changes in the constituents of products subjected to the process. STEA~[-Ilff JECTION SYSTE]~ Description of heater. A drawing of the