The effects of pre-heat temperature (65-95 degrees C) and holding time (5 and 25 s) on fouling of reconstituted skim milk at high-heat temperatures of 135-150 degrees C using a bench-top UHT plant were investigated. Fouling was monitored by observing the variation in overall heat transfer coefficient (OHTC) with time and consisted of an induction phase (non-fouling) and a decline phase (fouling). A significantly shorter run-time was obtained with pre-heating at 65 degrees C than with pre-heating at 75, 85 and 95 degrees C. A longer holding time (25 s) in the pre-heating section significantly increased the run-time of the plant compared with 5 s holding. The high-heat temperature also affected the OHTC and run-time; similar run-times were observed at 135, 140, 142 and 145 degrees C but at 150 degrees C there was no induction phase and fouling rapidly occurred. Overall, pre-heating at 85 degrees C or 95 degrees C for 25 s, combined with a high-heat temperature of 145 degrees C, and pre-heating at 95 degrees C for 25 s combined with high-heat temperatures of 142 degrees C, produced the longest run-times of the bench-top UHT plant. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.