Carbon Dioxide: An Alternative Processing Method for Milk

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is an alternative hurdle technology that can kill microorganisms or prevent growth and spoilage to extend the shelf life of foods. This chapter presents the acceleration of the cheese‐making process, the fractionation and purification of various milk and whey proteins, the extraction of specific fats and fatty acids, the synthesis of water‐resistant edible packaging, and others. Carbon dioxide can affect microorganisms in two different ways, depending on the temperature and pressure employed. In general, increasing either the pressure, rate of agitation or exposure time employed during CO 2 processing of food products enhances the resulting microbial deactivation. Although the benefits of CO 2 to the dairy industry are clear and there are abundant data supporting its use to improve the microbial quality of raw milk, high‐pressure CO 2 treatment or the incorporation of CO 2 to milk are not yet permitted.