Chemical and rheological aspects of gel formation in the California Mastitis Test.

The rheological properties of the CMT gel were analysed. Data are presented to demonstrate that the gel is a non-homogenous, visco-elastic, non-Newtonian fluid with rheopectic, and rheodestructive behaviour. The fundamental chemistry of the CMT is reviewed and a modified theory of gel formation is presented. The implications of the rheological properties and modified theory of gel formation for an automatic sensor are discussed.