Production and characterization of a pressure-induced gel from freeze-concentrated milk

A process was developed to produce a characteristic milk gel. Raw and market milk samples were freeze-concentrated using bacterial ice nuclei. The concentrates were kept at 5°C and compressed at 300-600 MPa for 5 min. The combination of the freeze concentration and the pressurization gave a milk gel without adding any gelling agents. The addition of sugar at 10% to the concentrated milk improved its gel strength and viscoelasticity. The gel was characterized by a phase transition at about 62-75°C.