A continuous pilot plant for liquid sterilization was used to compare ohmic heating and steam injection on liquid infant formula under the same conditions of pre-heating and holding. Samples were collected at different holding times and temperatures and analyzed for reactions of thermal degradation. Two substrates were measured: soluble proteins and vitamin C and different intermediate or advanced products of Maillard reaction were monitored: furosine, carboxymethyllysine (CML), FAST index (Fluorescence of Advanced Maillard products and Soluble Tryptophan) and color (Delta L*, Delta a* and Delta b*). Pseudo zero order kinetics was established for the Maillard products or global markers and Arrhenius parameters could be calculated. Equivalent markers contents were obtained after ohmic heating and steam injection showing equivalent quality of the infant formula for both sterilization technologies. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.