Effect of seasonal variations on the acid gelation of milk

We investigated the effect of seasonal variations on the acid gelation properties of bovine milk in a seasonal-calving New Zealand herd for 2 full milking seasons. We tested the formation of acid gels in 2 milk systems: unstandardized skim milk and standardized whole milk (4.6% protein, 4.0% fat). For unstandardized skim milk, late-season milk acid gels had a longer gelation time and a lower gelation pH than early- and mid-season milk acid gels, but we found no consistent seasonal variation in the final storage modulus. For standardized milk, late-season milk had the most inferior acid gelation properties during the year, including the lowest final storage modulus, the lowest gelation pH, and the longest gelation time. Standardization alleviated but did not eliminate the prolonged gelation time of late-season milk. These results indicated that the physicochemical properties of seasonal milk contributed greatly to its acid gelation, independent of differences in protein content. Standardization was not adequate to stabilize the acid gelation properties of late-season milk. Desirable acid gelation properties correlated with lower glycosylated κ-casein content, lower β-lactoglobulin:α-lactalbumin ratio, lower extent of whey protein-casein micelle association, and lower total calcium and ionic calcium content. We discuss the possible effects of the correlating variables on the acid gelation properties of seasonal milk. Natural variations in the glycosylation degree of κ-casein might play an important role in acid gel structural development by altering the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions among the milk proteins.