Optimizing the use of power ultrasound to decrease turbidity in whey protein suspensions

This research employed power ultrasound (US) to decrease the turbidity of whey suspensions US was applied using a 20 kHz generator and different power levels (3 and 15W) for different application times (5 and 15 min) at different temperatures (20 60 C and no temperature control [NCD]) to whey suspensions obtained at 4 different steps in a commercial process The whey suspensions varied from 69 to 302% solids and 13 5 to 88% protein This research shows an approximately 90% decrease in turbidity when US was applied to a whey suspension of 28 2% of solids containing 35 6% of protein on a dry basis The greatest decrease in turbidity was observed when US was applied for 15 min using 15W of electrical power at 60 C and WC conditions Surprisingly when US was used in whey suspensions containing 88 0% protein an Increase in turbidity of samples was observed (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved