अमूर्त

The Need for Study of Led Lights Capacity to Damage Fluid Milk

De Jesus T and Dando R

Light-exposure is a well-chronicled issue in the study of the quality of milk. Milk exposed to light during transport, processing, and storage can develop undesirable off-flavors and aromas, mainly due to riboflavin induced breakdown of proteins and lipids. Despite much study into these phenomena, most work to date has been carried out with incandescent or fluorescent light sources. The modern supply chain and retail environment is evolving, and currently the dairy industry is witnessing many suppliers adopting LED lighting in display cases, primarily as a cost saving and sustainability measure, due to lower running costs. This disregards, however, that LED lighting produces a much altered spectrum of light than the fluorescent systems currently favored. As light induces flavors in milk occur due to wavelength dependent physical processes, this review highlights the need for further study of LED light exposure of milk, to ascertain the degree to which these lights can damage fluid milk.