Measurement of Surface Tension of Homogenised Milks

Surface tension of different homogenized milk and cream, available in New Zealand, has been measured using the ‘Capillary Rise’ method as well as the automated ‘Wilhelmy Plate’ method. The measured values are slightly higher than the values reported in the literature. Increasing the fat content is found to have an inverse effect on the surface tension. This effect diminishes progressively for fat concentrations beyond 30%. Milk proteins, reported in the literature as surface-active components, are observed to have no effect on the surface tension.