Determination of milk fat

Fat content determination is of great importance because:

 This parameter impacts on the price paid per liter of milk.

 It is used to determine if a sample of milk or cheese complies with
established legal values.
 in order to calculate the correct amount of feed ration for high
yielding dairy cows.

 Milk composition :
Milk types Water % Fat % Lactose % Protein % Ash %
Camel 88.1 3.5 4.4 3.1 0.79
Cow 87.3 3.7 4.8 3.4 0.7
Goat 87.7 4.5 4.1 2.9 0.8
Sheep 80.7 7.4 4.8 4.5 1.0
Humans 87.7 3.8 7.0 1.0 0.2
buffalo 84 6.9 5.2 3.7 0.79

-Methods for determining the content of fat in milk

Gravimetric method Volumetric method

• Rose-Gottlieb • Gerber

• Adams • Babcock

-Gerber method
-Scientific principle:
Dissolving of S.N.F in milk by sulfuric Acid and by the process of
centrifugal the fat is separated and measured.

-Effect of sulfuric acid on the components of milk :

1 - Water
The reaction between Sulfuric Acid and water is highly exothermic
reaction.
2 - Protein
Coagulation Digestion Dissolving

1
3 - Lactose
Carbonization
4 - Salts
-Precipitation : CaSO4
-Solubilization : Na2SO4

Procedure :
1- transfer 10 ml of sulfuric acid his density is ( 1.820 – 1.825) into the
butyrometer
2- Transfer 10.75 ml of milk sample drop by drop into the butyrometer
3- Add 1 ml of amyl alcohol his density is ( 0.815)
4- Shake the butyrometer until no white particles are seen.
5- put it in the centrifuge, placing two butyrometers diametrically
opposite, centrifuge at maximum speed 1200-1500 cycles for 4-5
minutes.
6- Take the results .

- Appearance of the fat

1- the colour of the fat should be yellow and clear
2- the ends of the fat column should be clear and sharply defined
3- the fat column should be free from specks and sediment
4- the water just below the fat column should be perfectly clear
5- the fat should be within the graduation.

- the role of amyl alcohol:

1- tempering the reaction temperature.
2- Help to make a fat more clear.
3- Prevent the burning of fat column.

- Problems in test results

1- Carbonization of fat column.
-Density of sulfuric Acid higher than 1.825.
- the Gerber tube was left after digests its content long time before
making a centrifugal process
-Too much acid used
-Temperature of milk – acid mixture is too high

2
2-Pieces of casein exist in fat column.
- Density of sulfuric Acid less than 1.820
- Milk and acid not mixed thoroughly.
- Insufficient acid.
- Temperature at milk or acid or both too low.