Real-time monitoring of milk coagulation and gel firmness

Technology

In market

Company

Milk coagulation is a critical step in dairy processing, influencing process timing, yield, moisture, texture, and product consistency. Its behavior can vary with milk composition, temperature, pH, cultures, enzymes, coagulants, ingredients, and processing conditions.

Monitoring how gel firmness develops in real time provides quantitative information to help dairy R&D and quality teams evaluate these variables, optimize formulations and processes, and improve product consistency.

Real-Time Monitoring with CoaguSens™ Flex

CoaguSens™ Flex is a laboratory instrument designed to measure milk gel firmness during coagulation in real time.

By continuously monitoring gel formation, the technology provides quantitative data on coagulation kinetics and firmness. It can support R&D, product development, process optimization, and Quality Control across enzymatic and acid coagulation applications.

How the Technology Works

CoaguSens™ Flex uses patented vibration-based technology. A gentle vibration is applied to the sample, while its response is measured remotely using an optical probe. The resulting data tracks the evolution of gel firmness as milk transitions from a liquid to a gel.

What This Enables

Real-time measurement of gel firmness and coagulation kinetics
Comparison of formulations and processing conditions
Evaluation of milk, cultures, enzymes, coagulants, and ingredients
Optimization of ingredient dosage and processing parameters
Support for curd-cutting decisions and cheese process optimization
Quantitative Quality Control and product comparison

Potential Applications

Applications include cheese formulation and process development, cheese yield and moisture optimization, curd-cutting optimization, coagulant and culture evaluation, ingredient testing, yogurt and fermented dairy development, and Quality Control.

Technology Readiness

CoaguSens™ Flex is a commercially available technology developed specifically for dairy applications. It has been used to study enzymatic and acid coagulation and the effects of parameters such as temperature, pH, coagulant concentration, calcium chloride, and protein enrichment on milk coagulation.

Partnership Opportunities

We are interested in connecting with dairy researchers, food scientists, ingredient developers, and dairy producers exploring applications where real-time measurement of milk coagulation and gel firmness could support product development, process optimization, or Quality Control.

About Rheolution

Rheolution designs and manufactures analytical lab instruments and IoT-enabled solutions for soft matter analytics, primarily serving the life sciences and agri-food sectors. Founded in 2009, the company develops smart, non-invasive, and modular testing platforms that utilize patented technologies—such as the CoaguSens series for viscoelasticity testing—to capture the dynamic evolution of live soft materials. By digitalizing the testing process, Rheolution provides high-precision data acquisition tools that integrate hardware with data-centric software, including its collaborative, no-code data analysis platform, nuVerve. These technologies allow researchers and industrial teams to move beyond raw data collection toward actionable insights.

These tools are essential for customers focused on R&D, quality assurance, and process control, as they provide critical information on the viscoelastic properties of biomaterials, medical devices, and food products. By replacing traditional, often limited testing methods, Rheolution helps its users optimize production, improve yield, and fast-track innovation projects. The company, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, supports its global clientele through a combination of hardware innovation, specialized technical support, and customized testing protocols tailored to unique application requirements.