“Milk on Ice”: A detailed analysis of Ernest Shackleton's century-old whole milk powder in comparison with modern counterparts

• Published in: Journal of Dairy Science
• Main Authors: Justin G. Bendall, Abraham S. Chawanji, Bertram Y. Fong, Paul Andrewes, Lin Ma, Alastair K.H. MacGibbon, Skelte G. Anema
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2024
• Subjects: Ernest Shackleton; Antarctica; whole milk powder; spray dried; roller dried; Dairy processing. Dairy products; SF250.5-275; Dairying; SF221-250; Antarc*; Antarctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-23893; https://doaj.org/article/074852d525c7401cb3e9a5ba24bf7b94

ABSTRACT: Whole milk powder (WMP) manufactured in New Zealand in 1907 was sent to the Antarctic continent with the Shackleton-led British Antarctic Expedition from 1907 to 1909. This powder was stored at ambient conditions at Shackleton's Hut at Cape Royds, Antarctica, for over 100 yr before a sample was collected on behalf of Fonterra by the Antarctic Heritage Trust. Having spent most of its existence both dried and in frozen storage, any deleterious reactions within the WMP would have been markedly retarded. The composition and some properties of the roller-dried Shackleton's WMP are reported along with those of 2 modern spray-dried New Zealand WMP. The Shackleton powder was less white and more yellow than the modern WMP and was composed of flakes rather than agglomerated particles, consistent with that expected of a roller-dried powder. Headspace analysis showed lipolytic and oxidative volatile compounds were present in the Shackleton WMP, indicting some deterioration of the milk either before powder manufacture or on storage of the finished product. On a moisture-free basis, the Shackleton WMP had higher protein, higher fat (with a markedly higher free fat level), higher ash, and a lower lactose level than the modern WMP. The lysine level was lower in the Shackleton WMP compared with the spray-dried powders, whereas the fatty acid composition was relatively similar. The sodium level was markedly higher in the Shackleton WMP compared with the spray-dried powder, which is probably due to the addition of an alkaline sodium salt to adjust the pH of the milk before roller drying. Lead, iron, and tin levels were markedly higher in the Shackleton WMP compared with the spray-dried powders, possibly due to the equipment used in powder manufacture and the tin-plated cases used for storage. The proteins in the Shackleton WMP were more lactosylated than in the spray-dried powders. The Shackleton WMP had a higher ratio of κ-casein A to B variants and a higher ratio of β-lactoglobulin B to A variants than the spray-dried ...