In order to improve the quality of fermented skim milk, the effects of adding aloe extract on the physicochemical properties and sensory quality of fermented skim milk were investigated. Three levels of aloe extract (0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3%) were used. The pH value, titratable acidity, water-holding capacity, dehydration shrinkage, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, Lactobacillus count, color, viscosity and sensory evaluation of fermented milk were measured. The experimental results showed that the addition of aloe extract improved the problem of the low acidity of fermented skim milk during refrigeration, increased the viscosity, imparted better texture to it, improved the water-holding capacity, decreased the dehydration shrinkage, and increased the cold storage stability, the Lactobacillus count and the antioxidant capacity. However, the flavor and appearance of the fermented skim milk with aloe extract decreased.

Compared with cow’s milk, the milks of minor dairy animal species are know to be richer in nutrients and have a variety of bioactivities such as antibacterial, anticancer activity and antifatigue activity. However, consumers have little knowledge about the nutritional value of the milks of minor species and their production volume, market share and consumption are all low. Current studies regarding the milks of minor dairy species primarily concentrate on nutrient composition and single functional activities but often neglect the overall activity of all functional components. Systematic studies on the functional components, physiological effects and mechanisms of action of the milks of minor dairy species are lacking. In this paper, recent progress in studying the functional activities of donkey milk, buffalo milk, camel milk and goat milk is reviewed, and an outlook on future trends is given. This review hopes to provide a scientific basis for future research and development of high-quality, health dairy products from minor dairy species.

Ultra high pressure (UHP) is a new technology that puts food under high pressure above 100 MPa, which can improve food quality and kill microorganisms in food. This article summarizes the latest progress in the field of UHP dairy processing, and describes its influence on the quality of raw milk and processed milk, focusing on its advantages in promoting cheese maturation and low-fat, low-salt cheese production. The feasibility and effectiveness of UHP based dairy processing are discussed in order to provide a theoretical basis for better and wider application of UHP as well as improving the quality of dairy products.

Kombucha is a?symbiotic?culture?of?lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria and yeast. Four strains (HC, HD, HQ and HL) of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated and purified from kombucha and their biological characteristics were evaluated by morphological and physicochemical identification, acid production, growth performance, and salt, acid and bile salt tolerance. The results showed that all of the LAB strains were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum. The optimal growth temperature for these four strains was 30 ℃, and the strains entered the stationary phase of growth after 14 h. The optimal inoculum amount for HC, HD, HQ and HL was 4%, 4%, 6% and 6%, respectively. All these strains could tolerate salts and had good tolerance to acid and bile salt, and HQ was the best among them.

Kombucha, also known as Haibao, is a traditional acidic tea beverage fermented by a symbiotic culture of lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria and yeast. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated and purified from kombucha and the purified strains were identified. The results showed that a total of 4 LAB strains (XC, XD, XL and XQ) were isolated and they were all identified as Lactobacillus plantarum. These strains entered the stationary growth phase after 14 h. For all four strains, both the pH value and titratable acidity declined during their growth. The optimal inoculum size for XC, XD and XQ was 4%, while that for XL was 6%. The optimal growth temperature for these strains was 30 ℃ and none of them was resistant to salts. All these strains had different tolerance to bile salts and acidity and XQ was the most tolerant among them.

Set skim yogurt was supplemented with inulin as a fat replacer to improve its texture and organoleptic properties. The water-holding power, rheological properties, color and sensory evaluation of yogurt prepared from skim milk powder with added inulin were measured and compared with those of control samples (whole milk yogurt). The rheological properties and sensory evaluation of the yogurt with 3.0% inulin was similar to those of control samples, but the water-holding power was lower than that of control samples. Whey syneresis occurred in none of the yoghurt samples. It was concluded that addition of 3.0% inulin resulted in high overall acceptability and showed good potential for commercial application.

This study researched the effect of homogenization and post-sterilization of shelf-stable yoghurt the morphology of modified starch granules as one of its ingredients. It was demonstrated that with increasing either homogenization temperature or pressure, more starch granules were broken down. The optimal homogenization temperature was between 60 and 63 ℃ and the optimal pressure was in the range of 15–20 MPa. The starch granules further swelled under line pressure during ultra high temperature (UHT) processing, and they gradually enlarged or even cracked with an increase in either line pressure (up to 7 bar) or reflux cycles. Increased temperature up to 80 ℃ during UHT processing resulted in breakdown of more starch granules.

This study investigated the gelatinization properties of three types of modified starch and their application in long shelf-life yogurt. The three types of modified starch were physically modified starch (PMS), acetylated distarch phosphate (ADSP), hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HDSP). The results showed that the granular structure of the three kinds of starch remained intact after gelatinization. They all had strong shear resistance, and ADSP and HDSP showed stronger shear resistance and higher gelatinization temperature than PMS. Adding 2% (m/m) modified starch in long shelf-life yogurt increased its apparent viscosity, water holding capacity, viscoelasticity, yield stress, and storage stability. ADSP was better to improve the quality of long shelf-life yogurt than HDSP and PMS.

The influence of whey protein concentrate (WPC80) added to fermented skim milk drink on its stability was studied. The stability of fermented skim milk drink with different concentrations of whey protein concentrate was evaluated by particle size distribution, centrifugal analysis and Turbiscan analysis. The results showed that fermented milk drink containing 30% WPC80 had the smallest particle size and smallest centrifugal sediment. The turbiscan analysis showed distinctly that the fortified drink produced less sediment than the fermented milk drink with no added WPC80.