ABSTRACT
260Coagulation/gelation of milk is the most important step in the dairy industry during manufacturing of products such as cheese, dahi, yoghurt, chhana, paneer, etc. Understanding of coagulation phenomenon in milk during processing is very important to obtain a product with uniform quality and acceptability to the consumers. Coagulation of milk is the primary step that comprises the conversion of raw milk, which leads to formation of an aggregated protein network, mainly consisting of caseins. Coagulation in milk takes place due to the effect of enzymatic, heat and/ or acidic treatment and depends upon various factors such as pH, temperature, fat/protein profile of milk, and calcium content. The mechanism also varies with respect to bovine milk and buffalo milk. Coagulation or gelation properties of milk can be directly related to the composition of amino acids present and their sequences, as well as its secondary and tertiary conformation in solution. This chapter is mainly focused on gelation behavior and its impact on textural/rheological properties of different milk products.
