The Effects of Milk Age on the Titratable Acidity of Raw Milk

Titratable Acidity is the percentage of lactic acid in a sample of fluid. TA is used as an indicator in raw milk grading with a value of 0.14 – 0.17 % as a healthy range. Two main factors that affect titratable acidity in raw milk are its protein content and age. However, there has been limited research on the effect of storage duration on milk quality, as such analysis have been conducted either with fresh milk or concurrently with other variables that affect the TA of milk. Thus, this paper evaluates the effects of different milk ages (of 5 continuous two-day intervals) on the acidity of raw milk using the method of titration. Titration of raw milk is done with 0.1 M of Sodium Hydroxide. Results show that milk age increases with a positive correlation in correspondence to titratable acidity, due to the multiplication of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) such that the microbial quality directly impacts the rate of fermentation. As the food industry develops, the problems of food additives and safety have attracted much attention, and the only way to prevent those substances from being added is to ensure the evaluation of product through TA values for its chemical parameters that will determine the taste and nutrition of the product, as per recommended or required by the government and the NFDA.