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A method to store concentrated milk in the liquid state at -15℃ was developed, and quality changes during storage of milk were evaluated. Combined cryoprotectants (CCP) suitable for storing concentrated milk in the liquid state at -15 were consisted of 17.74% sucrose, 8.87% glucose, 8.87% fructose, 2% glycerol, 0.25% sodium hexametaphosphate, 0.25% NaCl and 0.02% ascorbic acid. The amount of CCP to be added to concentrated milk to depress freezing point to -15℃ was 38% by weight. Gelation due to protein denaturation was the most serious quality change during storage, which adversely affected appearance and utilization of the stored product. Gelation was observed after 3 weeks storage in the control, but it was not in milk with CCP throughout 18 weeks storage. Amount of protein precipitated increased in the control during storage, whereas there was no protein precipitated in milk with CCP. Surface color and peroxide value of the control and treatment did not change significantly during storage, and there were no marked differences between the control and treatment. These results indicated that quality of concentrated milk could be preserved, without gelation, by storing milk with CCP in the -liquid state at the frozen storage temperature. Besides, energy required for freezing preservation of milk could be significantly reduced by elimination of phase changes for freezing and thawing, and the stored product could be continuously processed for the final products without long waiting time for thawing.
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