Commercial Paneer & Khoya Processing from Buffalo Milk: Recovery Rate & Profit Margin

Cow milk contains smaller fat globules and produces a softer, yellowish paneer with only 14-16% yield. Buffalo milk, with 7.5% to 8.5% butterfat and 9.2% SNF, yields brilliant porcelain-white paneer with a spongy, elastic texture and 20% average recovery. For Khoya (evaporated milk solids used in Indian sweets), buffalo milk fat creates an unctuous body, smooth texture, and rich caramelized aroma that commands top sweetmaker prices.

1. Heating: Heat fresh raw buffalo milk to 85°C and hold for 5 minutes to kill pathogens and denature whey proteins (which bind water into the curd). 2. Cooling: Cool milk down to exactly 80°C to 82°C. Coagulating boiling hot milk produces brittle, rubbery paneer; coagulating below 75°C produces soft mushy paneer. 3. Acid Coagulation: Add 1.5% to 2% food-grade citric acid solution (dissolved in warm water at 80°C) slowly in a continuous stream with gentle stirring until clear pale-greenish whey separates. 4. Pressing: Drain whey through cheesecloth into perforated SS paneer hoops. Apply hydraulic or mechanical screw pressure (2-3 kg/cm²) for 15-20 minutes. 5. Chilling: Immerse pressed block in chilled water (4°C) for 2 hours to firm the texture.