This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of raw milk somatic cell removal by microfiltration on the composition and proteolysis during refrigerated storage of pasturized milk. A completely randomized block design was used, in which repetitions (n=3) and milk fat level (skimmed and whole milks) were considered as blocks. A 2 X 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was used: milks with two different levels of somatic cell counts - low somatic cell count (LSCC) and high somatic cell count (HSCC) - and, microfiltration or not of milk. Repeated measures during storage time were taken from pasteurized milk at days 1, 7, 14 and 21. LSCC raw milk - 100,000cells mL-1 - and HSCC raw milk - 1,000,000cells mL-1 - were obtained from selected cows, skimmed and submitted to vacuum microfiltration. Milk was pasteurized and kept refrigerated at 6°C for 21 days. The application of milk microfiltration was efficient on somatic cell removal; however microfiltration had no effect on milk proteolysis which means the treatment did not reduce HSCC milk proteolysis rate during refrigerated storage. Significant effect of storage period on proteolysis was observed indicating that proteolytic activity remained despite milk pasteurization. HSCC milk proteolytic activity was 1,42 times higher than in LSCC milk, during the 21-day of refrigerated storage period. Based on the results of the study, HSCC milk shows a higher proteolytic activity than LSCC milk, during the 6°C-21 day storage period. Microfiltration, as a somatic cell removal process had no effect on decreasing proteolytic activity of pasteurized milk during the refrigerated storage period.
somatic cell; milk; enzymatic activity; proteolysis; lipolysis; microfiltration
