The rennet hysteresis of heated milk

SummaryThe phenomenon of rennet hysteresis in heated milk is essentially due to reversible heat-induced changes of calcium phosphate equilibrium which affect the second or calcium ion stage of the rennet coagulation. The phenomenon is shown not only by heated milk but also by all heated caseinate systems provided they contain sufficient calcium to permit of coagulation with rennet and enough phosphate to ensure some degree of colloidal phosphate precipitation during the heating process; its occurrence does not require the presence of micellar casein or of β-lactoglobulin, or the initial presence of colloidal phosphate. Nevertheless, rennet hysteresis is greatly increased in these heated systems if β-lactoglobulin is present owing to the formation of a calcium caseinate/β-lactoglobulin complex which in its renneted condition is much less sensitive to calcium ions than is calcium para-caseinate. The resulting relative prolongation of the second stage of the rennet coagulation renders this phenomenon more apparent by increasing the proportion of the total time occupied by the hysteresis effect.