Food Science Commons^™

Electron Microscopy Of Milk And Milk Products: Problems And Possibilities, D. G. Schmidt

Food Structure

Milk and dairy products have frequently been studied by transmission- and scanning electron microscopy. The specimen preparation procedure may considerably influence the final result, and formation of artefacts is frequently observed. In this respect, formation of ice crystals during cryofixation is a well-known phenomenon. But dehydration, to an extent such as is required for embedding procedures, also appears to be harmful to dairy products. Micrographs of thin sections of plastic- embedded samples of casein submicelles show threadlike material, whereas in freeze-etched specimens only spherical particles are found. Similar observations are made when samples of cheese and of concentrated milk are …