LPT 311: Milk and Milk Products Technology (1+1)

Preparation of Channa

CHANNA

• Channa is an indigenous milk product obtained by coagulating whole milk and by subsequent separation of whey. This coagulation is done by addition of lactic or citric acid.
• Channa differs from paneer in the method of preparation that no pressure is applied to remove the whey. The coagulum is collected in a cloth and hung on a peg without applying pressure to drain off the whey.

Physical appearance

• Channa from cow milk is light yellow in colour, has a moist surface, soft body and smooth texture whereas that from buffalo milk is whitish in colour. Both have a pleasant, sweetish mildly acid flavour.

Yield

• For cow milk, generally 15 per cent and from buffalo milk the yield is higher.

Uses

• Widely used in eastern parts of India and Bangladesh for the preparation of many milk-based sweets.
• Channa is also produced in the rural milk sheds and transported by road or rail to larger urban agglomerates in wicker baskets which allow further drainage of whey.
• Channa so produced is usually used for the preparation of sandesh. High quality sandesh is usually prepared from fresh channa.
• It is also used for rasagolla preparation. Channa has the same legal requirements as those of paneer.