Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
05:45
Process Development for the Spray-Drying of Probiotic Bacteria and Evaluation of the Product Quality
Published on: April 7, 2023
Radio Frequency-Assisted Pasteurization of Cow's Milk: Process Optimization, Quality Preservation, Shelf-Life
Sungwan Tuisri1, Trisadee Khamlor1,2, Sa-Nguansak Thanapornpoonpong3
1Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Radio frequency (RF) pasteurization effectively inactivates microbes in raw milk, preserving quality and safety for extended shelf life. This promising technology offers economic feasibility for small-scale dairy operations.
Area of Science:
- Food Science and Technology
- Dairy Processing
- Microbiology
Background:
- Microbial inactivation is crucial for extending raw milk shelf life.
- Radio frequency (RF) thermal pasteurization is a novel approach for small-scale dairy processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- Determine optimal RF temperature-time conditions for raw milk pasteurization.
- Evaluate RF treatment effects on milk quality from different cow breeds.
- Assess the economic feasibility of RF pasteurization.
Main Methods:
- Raw milk from Holstein Friesian, Jersey, and Brown Swiss cows treated with RF (40.68 MHz) at 72-92 °C for 20-100 s.
- Comparison with conventional low-temperature long-time (LTLT) pasteurization.
- Microbial counts, milk composition, and color changes were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Optimal RF condition (92 °C for 50 s) achieved a 5.11 log reduction in aerobic plate count, eliminating specific pathogens.
- RF treatment showed no significant impact on milk composition or color.
- Pasteurized milk maintained quality and safety for 28 days at 4 °C.
Conclusions:
- RF pasteurization is an effective method for microbial inactivation in raw milk.
- The technology preserves milk quality and offers economic viability for small dairies.
- RF pasteurization supports efficient and sustainable dairy production.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Pasteurization and Food Preservation
Pasteurization is a widely employed thermal processing technique designed to enhance the safety and shelf life of perishable food and beverages. By subjecting products to specific high temperatures for controlled durations, this method effectively inactivates pathogenic microorganisms and spoilage enzymes without significantly compromising sensory qualities. The technique has been pivotal in food safety management, especially for consumables susceptible to microbial contamination such as milk,...
01:26Methods of Controlling Food Spoilage
Food spoilage is caused by microbial growth or by chemical and physical changes, all of which affect the taste, texture, and safety of food.Temperature-Based PreservationRefrigeration at 0–4 °C slows microbial growth and enzyme activity, making it ideal for short-term storage. However, certain spoilage organisms—such as psychrotrophs like Listeria monocytogenes—can still proliferate at these temperatures. Freezing below -18 °C further slows biological processes by forming ice crystals, which...
01:29Microbes in Food Production
Microbial fermentation is central to food biotechnology, enhancing flavor, texture, preservation, and stability. Fermentative microorganisms metabolize carbohydrates into organic acids, alcohols, and other metabolites that inhibit spoilage organisms and improve digestibility while contributing distinctive sensory qualities.In baking, amylases naturally present in flour hydrolyze starch into monosaccharides such as glucose, which Saccharomyces cerevisiae ferments anaerobically. Through...
01:27Principles of Food Preservation
Food spoilage results from microbial growth, enzymatic activity, and environmental factors that gradually degrade the sensory, nutritional, and safety qualities of food. Preservation techniques aim to slow or halt these processes to extend shelf life and maintain product quality.A key concept in food microbiology is the microbial growth curve, which includes four phases: lag, exponential (log), stationary, and death. During the lag phase, bacteria adjust to their environment without significant...
01:23Physical Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth: Temperature
Heat is a widely used method to control microbial growth by targeting and denaturing cellular proteins, thereby killing or inactivating microbes. This method's effectiveness is quantified using parameters such as the thermal death point (TDP), thermal death time (TDT), and decimal reduction time (D value). TDP represents the lowest temperature at which all microorganisms in a liquid suspension are eliminated within 10 minutes, whereas TDT is the time necessary to achieve sterilization at a...
01:23Microbial Spoilage of Food
Microbial food spoilage refers to the degradation of food quality resulting from the metabolic activity of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, and molds. These microbes proliferate on various food substrates depending on factors such as moisture content, nutrient availability, and storage conditions, leading to undesirable sensory and structural changes.Bacteria are primary agents of spoilage in high-moisture, nutrient-dense foods like meat, milk, and vegetables. Microbial spoilage occurs...