Utilization of recombined milk in the manufacture of some Indian milk products

Most of the city dairies under the Dairy Federations in India are marketing milk containing different proportions of recombined milk (RCM) to overcome the shortage of milk during the lean season. In the Indian dairy industry, some Indian milk products like khoa and chhana are the main important bases for the manufacture of certain sweets. Many state governments enforce a law that disallow the preparation of these products from fresh milk during lean season. Hence, an attempt was made to study the feasibility of using RCM for the preparation of these products. RCM was prepared by mixing correct proportions of skim milk powder, butteroil and potable water in a blender. This mixture was heat treated and homogenized to obtain recombined milk. Different proportions of RCM and whole milk blends were also prepared. The sensory properties, chemical composition and texture of khoa and chhana were prepared from each proportion of milk. The moisture content in khoa and chhana decreased with increase in the level of RCM in the blend. The decrease in moisture content was directly proportional to the yield of these products. The sensory evaluation studies indicated that khoa and chhana at quite acceptable quality of could be obtained from blended RCM. Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) for RCM milk products showed that hardness increased with increase in the RCM level. Springiness, gumminess and chewiness also increased as the RCM level increased. It was concluded that it is possible to prepare Indian milk products like khoa and chhana from RCM so that they can be utilized in the lean season also. RCM could be suitably blended with fresh cow milk for the preparation of these products for better acceptability.