Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The rising of fat globules to form a cream layer at the top of milk is known as creaming.
This physical process is influenced by the size of the fat globules and the presence of natural agglutinins.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
In raw milk, fat globules are clustered together by cold-agglutinins called cryoglobulins (primarily belonging to the immunoglobulin M class).
These cryoglobulins adhere to the fat globules when milk is cooled, causing them to aggregate into larger clusters.
According to Stokes' Law, larger clusters rise much faster than individual small fat globules, accelerating the creaming process.
When milk is pasteurized, these cryoglobulins are heat-denatured, which destroys their ability to agglutinate the fat globules.
As a result, the creaming rate is significantly slowed in pasteurized milk.
Step 4: Final Answer
Heat denaturation of cryoglobulins retards the creaming process in pasteurized milk.