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Milk Protein Concentration Using Negatively Charged Ultrafiltration Membranes.
Abhiram Arunkumar1, Mark R Etzel2
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, 1605 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA. arunkumar@uwalumni.com.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 30, 2018
Summary
This study introduces novel wide-pore charged membranes for milk protein concentrate (MPC) production. These membranes significantly enhance permeate flux and protein recovery compared to traditional methods, optimizing dairy processing.
Area of Science:
- Dairy Science
- Membrane Technology
- Food Engineering
Background:
- Milk protein concentrate (MPC) production typically uses unmodified, size-exclusion based ultrafiltration membranes.
- Current methods face limitations in flux and efficiency for concentrating skim milk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of wide-pore, negatively charged ultrafiltration membranes for MPC manufacturing.
- To compare the performance of charged membranes against conventional unmodified membranes in skim milk processing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized wide-pore, negatively charged 100 kDa ultrafiltration membranes for skim milk concentration and diafiltration.
- Mimicked industrial MPC production processes using tangential-flow filtration.
- Developed and applied mass balance models to analyze concentration and diafiltration steps.
Main Results:
- Charged membranes demonstrated at least a four-fold higher permeate flux compared to unmodified 30 kDa membranes at equivalent protein recovery.
- Electrostatic repulsion, not just size exclusion, was identified as the primary mechanism for protein rejection.
- Mass balance models accurately predicted experimental outcomes for both concentration and diafiltration.
Conclusions:
- Wide-pore charged membranes offer a significant advancement in MPC manufacturing efficiency.
- This technology enhances protein recovery and permeate flux through electrostatic interactions.
- The developed mass balance model provides a valuable tool for optimizing charged membrane processes in the dairy industry.
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