Effect of high intensity pulsed electric fields on enzymes and vitamins in bovine raw milk

Pulsed electric fields (PEF) were applied to fresh bovine raw milk using a laboratory-scale continuous PEF system to study the impact on selected native enzyme activities and on vitamin degradation. The activities of protease, lipase, alkaline phosphatase and lactoperoxidase following PEF treatment at electric field strengths ranging from 15 to 35 kV/cm for treatment times of 12.5 μs to 75 μs were examined. Reductions in enzyme activity, even under the most severe conditions employed, were quite modest, amounting to 14%, 37% and 29% for lipase, protease and alkaline phosphatase, respectively, while the activity of lactoperoxidase remained unchanged. The PEF treatment had no effect on the levels of thiamin, riboflavin, retinol and α-tocopherol in the milk.