Shelf-life extension of cultured milk products

Purpose - Shelf-life of cultured milk products is longer than milk but it is still limited. Shelf-life of cultured milk products could be enhanced by adopting various techniques. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the longer shelf-life thus attained would extend the market reach and would be economically beneficial to both producers and consumers. Design/methodology/approach - Attempt has been made to enlighten the various techniques such as bacteriocin (nisin, Microgard (TM), natamycin, etc.), lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-hydrogen peroxide system (LP-system), high pressure treatment, post-production heat-treatment (thermization, microwave heating), ultra-violet (UV) irradiation, carbonization, etc. Findings - Application of more than one bacteriocin may be advantageous to minimize the possibility of survival of microflora resistant to a particular bacteriocin. Pasteurization, being more detrimental to dietetic properties of cultured milk products than thermization, its application is not suggested as a method of preservation. Microwave heating may be better than conventional pasteurization. Originality/value - Conjugated application of various techniques would be more efficacious in extending the shelf-life of cultured milk products. Extension in shelf-life of cultured milk products would be economically beneficial for producers and consumers.