Question

Question 12(a)
A milkman adds a very small amount of baking soda to fresh milk.
(a) Why does he shift the pH of the fresh milk from 6 to slightly alkaline?

Answer 1

Baking soda or ${\text{NaHCO}}_3$ is a basic salt. When added, pH of the milk is shifted to a slightly alkaline range. This prevents the milk proteins (casein) to tangle into a solid mass called curds and the fresh milk is preserved for a longer time.