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Dielectric Properties of Raw Milk as Functions of Protein Content and Temperature

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Abstract

To understand the effect of protein content on dielectric properties (dielectric constant ε ′ and dielectric loss factor ε ″) of raw milk and to provide information for developing protein content detector being suitable for routine laboratory analysis or real-time quality monitoring, the values of ε ′ and ε ″ of raw cow’s milk with the protein content of 3.21–7.12 % were measured over the frequency range from 10 to 4500 MHz at temperatures from 25 to 75 °C by using a vector network analyzer and an open-ended coaxial-line probe. The results showed that the ε ′ decreased with increasing either frequency or temperature. ε ″ decreased linearly with frequency in a log-log plot at low frequency end and had minimums at about 2000–3500 MHz. The minimums increased with temperature. Below about 600 MHz, ε ″ increased with increasing temperature and decreased above 1000 MHz. ε ′ increased linearly with an increase of protein content below about 150 MHz and decreased linearly above 600 MHz, and ε ″ increased linearly with increasing protein content over full investigated frequency range. The developed third-order polynomial models could describe the dielectric properties of raw cow’s milk as functions of protein content and temperature at a given frequency exactly. If the dielectric properties and temperature of milk can be obtained, its protein content could be sensed.

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Acknowledgments

This research work was sponsored by grant from Chinese Universities Scientific Fund (No. ZD2012017, Northwest A&F University).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China

    Xinhua Zhu, Wenchuan Guo, Yunpeng Jia & Fei Kang

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  1. Xinhua Zhu
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  2. Wenchuan Guo
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  3. Yunpeng Jia
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  4. Fei Kang
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Correspondence to Xinhua Zhu.

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Zhu, X., Guo, W., Jia, Y. et al. Dielectric Properties of Raw Milk as Functions of Protein Content and Temperature. Food Bioprocess Technol 8, 670–680 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-014-1440-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-014-1440-5

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