Pressure homogenization is a technological process aiming
at the reduction in size and uniformity of fat globules, thus their
even dispersion in milk and an increase in emulsion stability.
To prevent fat layer floating during long-term storage of dairy
beverages, pressures of around 20 MPa are commonly used.
One of the accompanying effects is an increase in
temperature during homogenization, on average by 2–2.5°C
with a pressure increase of 10 MPa. The application of high
pressures for homogenization allows pasteurization
temperatures to be obtained, which combined with
mechanical treatment, is an effective method for microbe
neutralization [Popper & Knorr, 1990].
The modification of fat dispersion and an increase in the
inter-phase area as the result of whole milk homogenization,
change the system and the equilibrium of its particular
components. It particularly involves the milk colloidal phase
because the surface active fractions of plasma proteins,
mainly casein, participate in the reconstruction of the
homogenized fat globule membranes [Zahar & Smith,
1996]. This causes a change in some of the milk physico-
-chemical properties. One of them involves an increased
susceptibility of homogenized whole milk to coagulating
factors [McCrae et al., 1994], which has particular importance
during preservation of dairy articles produced with
the application of high temperatures.