Heat and Alcohol-Induced Coagulation of Casein Micelles

Investigation of the combined influence of heat and organic solvents on the colloidal stability of casein in milk and modified milk systems showed that addition of small amounts of alcohols to milk significantly reduced its stability towards heat. The alcohol and heat stabilities of milk decreased markedly with increasing hydrocarbon chain length of the alcohol. Addition of EDTA counteracted the destabilizing influence of organic solvents. Preheating milk markedly improved the alcohol and Ca²⁺ stabilities of milk systems but it appears that β-lactoglobulin/κ -casein complexes formed during heating have no influence on changes in the ethanol stability of casein micelles induced by preheating.