Quantitative aspects of crystalline lactose in milk products

Abstract

The occurrence of crystalline lactose in milk products and its influence on their physical properties are briefly reviewed. The importance of the quantitive determination of crystalline lactose for scientific and industrial purposes is indicated, and a summary is given of our earlier work. This refers to the β/αratio of lactose in aqueous solution and in the amorphous state, the structure of spray-dried milk products and methods for the quantitative determination of crystalline lactose in milk products. The relation between these subjects and the quantitative aspects of crystalline lactose in milk products is discussed.Some applications of methods for the quantitative determination of crystalline lactose are given. These refer to the improvement of the process for the manufacture of pre-crystallized spray-dried whey and to research into the hygroscopicity, free-flowingness and caking of spray-dried whey