EN
The purpose of the investigations was to assess colour parameters and the content of hydroxymethylfurfural as indicators of the course of the Maillards reaction in UHT sterilised milk and to ascertain the extent of their mutual correlations. The UHT sterilised milk was stored for 24 weeks at temperatures of 4, 8 and 20°C. Colour L*, a* and b* parameters were measured instrumentally and, on their basis, the value of milk colour saturation C* as well as the difference in relation to the model of the ideal whiteness DE were calculated. The amount of total and free hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in milk was determined. From among all the examined milk samples, the milk stored at the lowest of the applied temperatures was characterised by the lowest values of the b* parameter, of the C* colour saturation and the difference in relation to the model of ideal whiteness DE.