SEPHADEX EQUILIBRIUM-DIFFUSION TECHNIQUE FOR FRACTIONATING WHEY AND SKIMMILK SYSTEMS

An equilibrium-diffusion process was developed which utilizes Sephadex G-25 for removing low molecular weight solute materials from whey and skimmilk systems. Two successive treatments by the process removed a total of about 67% of the minerals and about 51% of the lactose from acid whey and about 36% of the minerals and about 72% of the lactose from concentrated skimmilk. Equilibration of the low molecular weight constituents between the milk serum phase and the interior of the Sephadex beads was complete within 1 min or less. The extent of fractionation achieved is primarily a function of the mixing ratio of product and Sephadex and the number of successive contact treatments used. The equilibrium-diffusion technique may be useful for developing large-scale, continuous processes for fractionating whey and skimmilk systems into low molecular weight and colloidal constituents. © 1969, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.