Subpasteurization Heat Treatment to Inactivate Lipase and Control Bacterial Growth in Raw Milk

Raw milk was heat-treated under subpasteurization and suprapasteurization conditions, cooled and stored for up to 72 h at 4.4 and 6.7°C. Milk lipase activity and bacteria counts were monitored in both unheated and heated milks. Inhibition of milk lipase activity ranged from 42 to 98% for treatments of 57.2°C for 10 sec to 73.9°C for 10 sec, respectively. The logs of Standard Plate Count after 72 h of storage at 6.7°C were 6.56, 4.86, 4.31, 4.00 and 2.82 for unheated and 10-sec heat treatments at 57.2, 65.6, 73.9 and 82.2°C, respectively. Psychrotrophic Bacteria Counts were also lower in the heated milks than in the unheated milk. The logs of Psychrotrophic Bacteria Counts after 72 h of storage at 6.7°C were 6.21, 2.45, 2.27, 1.33 and 1.00 for unheated and 10-sec heat treatments at 57.2, 65.6, 73.9 and 82.2°C, respectively. Heat treatment of raw milk supplies would result in limiting action of the milk lipase system and growth of bacteria.