Milk Protein Analysis Using a Micro Fabricated Sieve: A Promising Possibility

In cheese making, proteins present in the micellar phase, i.e. , α, β, κ, γ casein and their variants, determine the yield and properties of the final product (Walsh and others 1995). The current milk prices are based on solid components, that is, fat, total protein and other solids. However, the cheese yields are extremely sensitive to variations in protein sub‐components. Thus, total protein content, although a simple measure of yield, is not the most accurate one. In the future, the food industry might require simple tools to analyze protein components in a given sample of milk. Two features of such a tool, portability and accuracy, would be invaluable. In this article, a protocol for design of a micro‐scale sieve for the separation of proteins is conceived.