Effect of the recrystallization of ice on the freeze concentration process of milk in the lab-scale operation

This study was carried out to develop the efficient freeze concentration process of milk through controlling the recrystallisation phenomena of ice. Freeze-concentration was progressed with multi-stage freeze concentrator and there was artificial temperature control to induce recrystallisation phenomena. In each stage of freeze concentration process, the regular recrystallisation time was fixed as 1, 2, 4 and 8 hr to compare the solute increment, yield, brix and ice-crystal size among experimental conditions. Higher concentration as total solids was observed due to the elapse of recrystallisation time, and the maximum total solids in final products: 32.67% was obtained at the ripening time of 8 hr in two-stage process. This result was excessively high concentration comparing to the existing researches and presented the possibilities of milk freeze concentration in the dairy industry, The results of brix and ice-crystal size showed the direct correlation with the recrystallisation time that meant the increased processing time showed the increment of brix and ice-crystal size. Obtained results were numerically modelled to predict the progress of concentration in the industrial process and all of them had fairly high R2 of determination. Therefore, we regarded that these numerical models could be utilized for the development of efficient technology in industrial freeze concentration process.