Precipitation

The formation of a solid from a solution, a phenomenon exploited across food processing for separation and purification. In dairy, acid or rennet precipitation of casein underlies cheese making and the recovery of milk proteins; in juice and sugar manufacture, liming and clarification precipitate impurities that are then filtered away. Protein precipitation by heat, pH adjustment to the isoelectric point, or salts is also a key analytical and preparative tool. Controlling precipitation matters because unwanted haze or sediment spoils appearance, while deliberate precipitation must be complete and the precipitate cleanly removed.