Characteristics of frozen colostrum thawed in a microwave oven

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Dairy Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(87)80235-7· OSTI ID:5749441

Jones, L R; Taylor, A W; Hines, H C

Use of a microwave oven to thaw frozen colostrum was evaluated. Colostrum was collected from nine cows, four of which were immunized to produce specific colostral antibodies. Colostrum from each cow was frozen, subsequently thawed, and pooled. One-liter aliquots of the pooled colostrum were frozen and assigned randomly to three thawing treatments. Colostrum was thawed using one of three regimens: 10 min in a microwave oven at full power (650 W), 17 min in a microwave oven at half power (325 W), and 25 min in 45 degrees C water. Colostrum thawed in the microwave oven was slightly coagulated and had lower volume and total protein content than colostrum thawed in water. Casein and pH were not different among treatments. Both concentration and total content of immunoglobulin A were higher in the control than in microwave treatments. Neither amount nor concentration of immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M were different among treatments. Immunological activity, measured by a hemolytic test, was lower for microwave treatments than the control but did not differ between microwave treatments. Frozen colostrum thawed in a microwave oven should provide a reasonable source of colostrum when fresh high quality colostrum is not available.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Illinois, Urbana
• OSTI ID: 5749441
• Journal Information: J. Dairy Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Dairy Sci.; (United States) Vol. 70:9; ISSN JDSCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY FLUIDS
CATTLE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FOOD
FREEZING
GLOBULINS
IMMUNOGLOBULINS
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
MILK
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PREGNANCY
PROTEINS
RADIATIONS
RUMINANTS
THAWING
VERTEBRATES