Heat-induced changes in blends of skimmed buffalo and bovine milk

This study investigated the physical, chemical, and structural changes in mixtures of buffalo and bovine milk (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, 100:0) induced by heating at 80, 85, 90, and 95 °C for 5 min. No significant changes in particle size, zeta potential, and calcium activity were observed in heated buffalo milk and its mixtures with bovine milk, irrespective of the heating temperature, but heating at ≥ 85 °C induced a significant decrease in pH. The increase in viscosity with heating was dependent on the ratio of buffalo to bovine milk and the heating temperature. The variation in casein dissociation, whey proteins denaturation and their association with themselves and casein micelles, and the alteration in salt balance were key factors that contribute to significant heat-induced changes in pH and viscosity of milk blends.