Amasi:

Agricultural processing brochure

South African farmers facing current economic realities are
searching for new options to maintain or expand their
businesses. One of the many opportunities to grow markets,
turnover and profits is by adding value to farm produce. Options
need to be selected carefully based on sound information and
knowledge of the opportunities presenting themselves, taking
into account the strengths and weaknesses of individual farms.

Introduction:
Product group: Dairy products
Dairy milk is one of the most versatile products available to the
processor. Processing options include fermenting, concentrating,
drying, freezing and many more methods of preservation.
Processed dairy products are divided into five groups:

• Concentrated dairy • Liquid dairy products

products • Powdered dairy
• Cultured dairy products products
• Frozen dairy products

Amasi is categorised as a
cultured dairy product.
Product description: • Cultured high fat milk can contain at least 1.5 % milk
also be named high-fat fat and not more than 2.5%
Maas and high-fat Amasi. It milk fat.
Amasi (Cultured milk)
must contain at least 4.5 %
Amasi, a cultured dairy milk fat. Cultured fat free milk can
product, is cultured (sour) milk also be named cultured
that is manufactured by Cultured full fat milk can skim (med) milk, skim (med)
inoculating pasteurised milk also be named sour milk, sour milk, fat-free sour milk,
with a specific bacterial culture. Maas, Amasi, cultured full skim (med) Maas, fat-free
The end product has a firm milk, and cultured full-cream Maas, skim(med) Amasi,
texture, no gas bubbles and no milk. It must contain at least and fat-free Amasi. It must
separation of whey from the 3.3 % milk fat. contain no more than 0.5 %
coagulum. It has a pleasant milk fat.
sour taste with a slight Cultured low fat milk can
bite/prickliness on the tongue. also be named low-fat Yield: 1kg Amasi from
Maas, low fat sour milk and approximately 1 kg of whole raw
Amasi products are classified
according to their fat content: low- fat Amasi. It must milk.

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Storage of raw milk for processing
Milk is a highly perishable product that may turn sour if left at
room temperature. Milk is cooled to improve its quality and
stability. Milk leaves the cow at ± 37°C and must be cooled
within 3 hours to 4°C. During cold storage, the milk must be
stirred gently to prevent a cream layer from forming on top
(cream separation by gravity).

Raw milk is thus kept in large vertical tanks at the factory or

processing plant, which is fitted with one or more propeller
agitator(s) until further processing starts.

Milk preparation for the manufacturing of Amasi

Clarification of milk
Clarification is the removal of solid impurities (dirt particles, white blood cells and cells of udder tissue)
from milk, prior to further processing. Clarification is achieved through filtration. Milk may be filtered
through a perforated strainer, fine-wire mesh or woven cloth ("melkdoek") in small dairies. Medium and
large dairies use replaceable in-line filters situated before the heat exchanger.
Pre-heating of milk for separation
Prior to separation the milk is heated to 45 - 60 °C to ensure effective separation of the skim milk and cream
phase. Heating also inactivates the enzyme lipase that is responsible for the development of rancidity in fats.
Pre-heating guarantees the highest possible cream quality, i.e. the lowest amount of free fat in skim milk.
Heating takes place in a batch vessel or in a plate heat exchanger.

Fast Fresh milk should be Prior to separation the milk is

4 ºC 45 - 60 º C
cooled to: heated to:
facts:

CC C
Separation of milk the fat content of raw milk gives a negative result. The
The cream fraction of raw milk is varies. Standardisation is added advantage of
separated from the skim milk by preceded by separation of the pasteurisation for Amasi is the
passing pre-heated raw milk (45 milk and cream and then re- denaturation of the whey
– 60°C) through a conventional mixing the two fractions in the protein and the formation of
or hermetic centrifugal desired proportions. complexes between milk
separator. proteins to increase the water
Take note: Fat-free Amasi is binding properties of the final
manufactured from skim milk and product, thus preventing
Standardisation of milk
does not require standardisation. separation. This in turn
Standardisation follows directly
increases the viscosity of
after separation and involves the Amasi process Amasi. Various pasteurisation
adjustment of the fat content of
1. Pasteurisation of milk for methods available, depending
milk to obtain a product with a
Amasi on the size of the processing
defined, guaranteed fat content.
Pasteurisation is a mild heat plant:
Milk products are classified
according to their fat content. treatment that destroys all Batch pasteurisation: This
The fat content of milk must vegetative pathogens and method is suitable for small
therefore be adjusted and heat sensitive enzymes so operations with less than 2500
standardised accordingly since that the phosphatase test litres of milk per day. The milk

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is pumped into an open vat or jacketed vat fitted with an agitator
where it is heated. The milk is held at least 30 minutes at 85.5°C
followed by cooling within 30 minutes to 43 - 45°C.
Continuous pasteurisation: Large processing plants make use
of a continuous High Temperature Short Time (HTST) method. Milk
is heated quickly to 90 - 95°C for 15 - 40 seconds in a plate heat
exchanger. This is a compact, simple, easily cleaned and economic
heating device since it uses the hot pasteurised milk to pre-heat the
incoming cold milk (and vice versa), i.e. makes use of energy
regeneration. The pasteuriser consists of series of stainless steel
plates mounted vertically, supported by cylindrical bars, and are
tightly packed and sealed together. The plates have waffle-like
indentations that provide a large heat transfer area and
a turbulent flow of the liquids.

A rubber-seal between the plates keep them about 5 - 8 mm apart. The liquids leave the plates through
holes in the corners of the plates. Open and blind holes route the liquids to the correct plate processing
area. Five stages of heat exchange can be identified:
• Regenerative heating: The incoming milk is pumped to the regeneration section of the heat
exchanger where it is heated to 55 - 65°C by heat transfer from freshly pasteurised milk. Up to 92% of
required heat can be recovered in this way. Milk may leave the pasteuriser at this stage to be
homogenised and return to the next section.

• Heating: Milk is further heated indirectly with hot water, vacuum steam or saturated steam at
atmospheric pressures to the required temperature (90 - 95°C).

Fast Small operations: Large operations:

facts: Batch pasteurisation Continuous pasteurisation
Holding: The hot milk is held to the heating and/or holding higher the final temperature
at the required temperature sections via the flow of the cooled milk will be.
in a chamber or a holding diversion valve. This prevents the milk from
pipe for the required period thickening, resulting in
of time (15 - 40 seconds). • Regenerative cooling: The clogging of pipelines and
The dimensions of the hot milk from the holding filling problems. The
holding pipe must be section goes to the mechanical action involved
sufficient to ensure the regeneration section where it in pumping and filling thick,
required residence time and is cooled to 50 - 60°C by cold milk could also cause
flow rate of the milk. The heat transfer to the incoming damage to the fat globules.
stainless steel holding pipe milk.
slopes upwards and • Take note: It is required by law
excludes trapped air. The • Cooling: Milk is further in South Africa that processors
temperature at the end of the cooled to 43 - 45°C, first with keep thermographic recordings
pipe is continuously cold water and finally with of the temperature of
monitored to ensure chilled water or refrigerant pasteurisation for at least four
sufficient pasteurisation. If (brine or polyalcohol weeks; and that apparatus used
the required temperature is solutions). The higher the fat must be calibrated monthly to
not maintained for long content of the milk, the ensure the correctness of the
enough, the milk is returned pasteurisation process.

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2. Inoculation and incubation of milk for Amasi
Inoculation is the addition of starter cultures to a food
substance to initiate fermentation reactions. The warm milk (at
22 - 26°C) from the pasteuriser is pumped into the
fermentation vats and inoculated with a 1 - 2% Streptococcus
lactis culture. The milk and starter culture mixture are
agitated to ensure even dispersion of the culture in the milk.
The culture is responsible for the development of lactic acid,
flavours and aroma compounds. The inoculated milk is
incubated for 3 - 16 hours at 20 - 30°C to allow fermentation
to take place. Fermentation is defined as the conversion of
the milk sugar, lactose, into simpler substances such as acids
by the action of the starter culture and enzymes. This takes place in fermentation tanks. The tanks
are insulated to ensure than an even temperature is maintained throughout incubation.
Fermentation is stopped when the preferred acidity is reached and the product has coagulated
according to consumer preferences.
3. Cooling of Amasi
The Amasi is cooled to 15°C as soon as the required acidity is reached. Cooling retards
fermentation and further acid development. Batch cooling is usually done in the fermentation tanks
by replacing the heating medium with cold water. The tanks are equipped with slow speed agitators
that scrape the walls of the tank to speed up heat exchange. Continuous cooling may take place in
tubular coolers or plate coolers that are able to cool high viscose liquids.
4. Flavouring of Amasi (optional)
Amasi may be flavoured with pasteurised fruit or permitted fruit flavours. Mixers with a gentle stirring
action are used to disperse the fruit and flavouring throughout the Amasi. All additions must be
declared on the packaging/label.

Process overview

1 2 3 4 5 6

Pasteurisation of Cooling of Amasi Packaging of Amasi

milk for Amasi

Inoculation and Flavouring of Amasi Labelling of Amasi

incubation of milk for
Amasi

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5. Packaging of Amasi
Amasi is filled into suitable containers such as laminated
cartons or plastic bottles and are hermetically sealed. Filling
takes place at 15°C due to the high viscosity of the cooled
product. Laminated cardboard boxes or plastic tubs with foil
caps are generally used. The packaged product is placed in
cold storage rooms to reduce the temperature to below 5°C.

6. Labelling of Amasi
All the containers are pre-labelled or labelled after they are
filled and sealed.

Labelling of cream
Labelling in South Africa is controlled by legislation. Anyone who wants to use the information provided
in this document must familiarise him/herself with all the applicable laws that apply to the producing,
processing, manufacturing and storage of the products referred to in this document.

Other processing options – Cultured dairy products

Listed below are other processing options not covered in this report, but available from Eskom.
• Cultured buttermilk is the product obtained from milk that has been inoculated with a starter
culture to produce a viscous liquid with a mild lactic flavour. It is consumed as a refreshing drink or
used as an ingredient in various baked products.
• Gouda is a close textured, mild cheese. It is classified as semi-hard
• Kefir is a smooth, viscous, fermented dairy drink with a fresh acidic taste and contains lactic acid,
alcohol (± 1%) and gas (carbon dioxide).
• Processed cheese is made from a variety of natural cheeses that are ground and blended together
with emulsifying agents. Various other additives may also be added. The mixture is heated and
packaging in laminated films.
• Ricotta is a cheese prepared from whey. Ricotta is a low fat, soft cheese with a maximum fat in dry
matter content of 10% and a minimum dry matter of 20%.
• Set yoghurt is prepared from high or full fat pasteurised milk inoculated with a specific starter
culture. Fermentation takes place in the final retail container under controlled conditions. The
yoghurt has a firm, gel-like consistency and a clean surface is apparent when the yoghurt is cut.
• Stirred yoghurt is a fermented milk product with a thick, smooth consistency and may or may not
be flavoured. It is incubated in tanks, stirred, flavoured and cooled before packaging.
• Cheese spread is a blend of hard cheese with added emulsifying salts. The mixture undergoes a
heat treatment that increases the shelf life. Cheese spread has a relatively high moisture content (±
55 %) and a pH of 5,7 - 6,3.
• Cheddar cheese is defined as the product obtained from coagulated milk from which the whey has
been removed. The coagulum or curd has undergone ripening to a greater or lesser extent.
Cheddar is classified as a high fat, hard cheese.
• Drinking yoghurt is essentially stirred yoghurt with a lower solids content and broken coagulum. It
may be pasteurised and/or aseptically packaged to extend the keeping quality.
• Feta is a pickled cheese with a clean, acidic salty taste. It is packaged in a brine solution to prevent
drying out and to preserve the cheese.
• Cottage cheese is the product obtained from coagulating milk. It is a soft, unripened cheese
containing about 80 % moisture.

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Energy Advisory Services
Eskom's role is to aid the client with basic information in the
decision-making process. Thereafter the Eskom Advisor will fulfil
the role of energy advisor as part of the team that the farmer
selects.

Optimise your energy use

Eskom’s Energy Advisors, in regions across South Africa, offer
advice to business customers on how to optimise their energy use
by:
• Understanding their energy needs
• Understanding their electrical systems and processes
• Investigating the latest technology and process
developments, including electric infrared heating and drying systems
• Analysing how to reduce energy investment costs
• Optimising energy use patterns in order to grow businesses and industries

Call 08600 37566, leave your name and number and request that an Energy Advisor in your region
contacts you. Alternatively, e-mail an enquiry to advisoryservice@eskom.co.za.

Alternative funding:
Five alternative funding product offerings are available to help reduce your investment costs for new agro-
processing or agro-beneficiation business or expand/improve an existing agro-processing or agro-
beneficiation business.

For more info visit: http://www.eskom.co.za/sites/idm/Business/Pages/Alternativefunding.aspx

Literature sources
• Catsberg, C.M.E. & Kempen van Dommelen, G.J.M. 1990. Food Handbook. New York: Ellis Horwood.
• Dairy Processing Handbook. 1995. Tetra Pak Processing Systems. Sweden.
• Early, R. 1992. The Technology of Dairy Products. London: Blackie.
• Fellows, P. 1988. Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice. Chichester: Ellis Horwood,
Ltd.
• Lombard, S.H. 1975. Kaasvervaardiging. South African Journal of Dairy Technology, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp.
163 - 166.
• Robinson, R.K. 1994. Modern Dairy Technology. Vol 2. Advances in Milk Products. 2nd ed. London:
Chapman & Hall.
• Rosenthal, I. 1991. Milk and dairy products: properties and processing. Basel : VCH.
• South Africa, Agricultural Products Standards Act (No 119 of 1990) and regulations.
Pretoria: Government Printers.
• South African, Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectant Act (no 54 of 1972) and regulations.
Johannesburg: Lex Patria.
• Varnan, A .H. & Sutherland, J.P. 1994. Milk and Milk Products: Technology, chemistry and
microbiology. London: Chapman & Hall.
• Google free images: Product and other photos were sourced from Google images using a filter: Free to
share and use commercially.
•
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 Disclaimer
The reader’s attention is drawn to this notice which contains a
limitation of risk or liability of Eskom, and constitutes an
assumption of risk or liability by the reader or an
indemnification of Eskom. The reader acknowledges that
he/she has made herself/himself aware of this disclaimer and
is aware that the disclaimer limits the liability of Eskom.

The aim of this document is solely to provide the reader with

some basic information on agro processing in order to
understand the extent of the operations involved.
The reader should familiarise him/herself with all applicable laws that apply to the product growing,
storage, processing and manufacturing. This information concentrates on the sequence and steps
involved in the processing of the selected product and explain the reason and necessity of each step. It is
not a complete reference document on which calculation and design shall be based, nor was it ever
intended to be.

While Eskom has made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this brochure has been
obtained from reliable sources, Eskom does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy,
content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this brochure, and the readers
or users are required to also make their own independent enquiry, before relying upon same. All
information in this brochure is provided "as is" with no warranties, promises and/or representations of any
kind, expressed or implied, as to the nature, standard, accuracy or otherwise of the information provided
in this brochure nor to the suitability or otherwise of the information for a purpose. Computer generated
images; walkthroughs and rendered images used in this brochure are the artist's impression and are
indicative of the actual designs. The imagery used in the brochure may not represent actuals.

Eskom shall not be liable to the reader for any loss or damage of whatever nature (direct, indirect,
consequential, or other) incurred by the reader as a result of any action or omission related to the
information provided in this brochure. The reader shall indemnify Eskom against any claim or action
instituted by a third party as a consequence of the actions taken in relation to the contents of the
brochure, emanating from any area of law.

For more information on Eskom’s

solutions and services visit the website -
www.eskom.co.za/idm

Issued by Integrated Demand Management

Date: December 2018

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