Hindering milk quality storage deterioration by mild thermization combined with methylated chickpea protein

Methylated chickpea protein (MCP) or native chickpea protein (NCP) were supplemented to milk (0.5%) and combined with a mild thermization (65°C/ 5 min) treatment before storing at 4°C for 30 days. The influence of these combined treatments was assessed on milk physicochemical, nutritional and sensorial quality during storage. Supplementation of milk samples with MCP (0.5% w/v) significantly (p 0.05) and considerably reduced the levels of the bacterial counts; i.e. total bacterial, psychrotrophic and Pseudomonas spp. counts by about 1.6-1.9 log CFU ml^-1 after 16 days of storage at 4°C. Within the same period, it could control the development of titratable acidity, limit lipolysis, attenuate proteolysis, maintain most of the vitamin contents, keep considerable heat stability, oxidative stability, rennetablity and sensorial properties.