Small and ultra-small angle neutron scattering studies of commercial milk

Publication date: Available online 2 July 2019Source: Food StructureAuthor(s): Carl P. Adams, Nukhalu Callaghan-Patrachar, Fernanda Peyronel, John Barker, David A. Pink, Alejandro G. MarangoniAbstractMilk and milk products are an essential part of global nutrition and the world-wide food industry. Studies of milk components using scattering techniques is well documented in the literature. However, those studies focused on the q scattering wavevector region 10−3 < q < 2 Å−1. This manuscript presents scattering results in the region 3 × 10−5 < q < 2 ×10−2 Å−1, a region that allows the simultaneous study of fat globules and proteins found in commercial food-grade milk. The small and ultra-small angle neutron scattering (SANS and USANS) measurements show that a model based on the Schulz distribution function using uniform spheres was a reasonable choice to successfully fit the scattering features below q = 0.007 Å−1. Contrast measurements using D2O on whole milk were carried out to distinguish fat from protein signals. Casein micelles were found to have mean diameters of 96 ± 10 nm with 33% polydispersity. The average scattering length density of the micelles varied from −0.04 × 10−6 Å−2 in homogenized, pasteurized commercial milk to 2.8 × 10−6 Å−2 with 50% dilution by D2O, with a match point of 43 ±&nbs...

Source: Food Structure - July 3, 2019 Category: Food Science Source Type: research