Elaboración y caracterización físico-química y microbiológica de un concentrado proteico de suero láctico en polvo mediante termocoagulación ácida y deshidratación en la Asociación de Productores y Comercializadores de Leche de Quero (APROLEQ)

Abstract

The following work was carried out with the objective of elaborating and characterizing a protein concentrate of whey powder obtained by acid thermocoagulation and dehydration from lactic whey from the process of making fresh cheese, and characterizing it physically-chemically and microbiologically. The thermocoagulation consists in giving a heat treatment to the whey acidifying it to obtain different soluble proteins of the whey, said protein concentrate was characterized by the regulations established for whey powder, same in which the requirements of the INEN were met: lactose (32.19 per cent), protein (25.27 per cent), fat (0.38 per cent), moisture (1.67 per cent), ash (2.97 per cent) and acidity (0.77 per cent), with the exception of this last physical analysis-chemical, which did not meet the limits set for titratable acidity, With regard to microbiological analyses, it was possible to determine that there is no microbial load in the protein concentrate since it was based on the standard established by INEN-2585 with the following values: mesophilic aerobic with a value of less than 10 CFU per gram, moulds and yeasts less than 10 CFU per gram; enterobacteraceae absence UP per gram, staphylococcus less than 10 coag.pos. per gram. It is concluded that the addition of whey protein concentrate powder as an ingredient in the manufacture and enrichment of food is possible.