Physico-Chemical Properties of Milk

Certain physical and physico-chemical properties of milk like density, viscosity,acidity, pH etc., are important characteristics of milk with a very narrow range of variation in these properties. Knowledge of physico-chemical properties of milk is essential for identification and effective quality control of milk. In many cases processing parameters can be selected or modified depending upon the nature of the physico-chemical properties of fluid milk for manufacturing purposes e.g. in the processing of milk for ice cream, condensed milk, dried milk, butter, whey protein concentrate, etc. The selected physico- chemical parameters result in the production of the final product with desirable properties and characteristics. Important physico-chemical properties of milk are described here.