MILK AND CREAM

MILK AND CREAM

MILK

Content: water 7%, Carbohydrates 5%, Protein 3%, Mineral salt and Vitamins 1%, Fat 4%

Milk is a food of high nutritional value. It contains the water soluble vitamins B1 and B2. The important minerals in milk are calcium and phosphorus. It also contains fat vitamins A, D, and E.

Pasteurised milk is heated to 72°c, held at that temperature for 15 seconds, then cooled to at least 4.4°c; this will destroy any harmful bacteria.

Homogenised milk is treated and forced through very fine holes to break up the fat globules. These become evenly distributed throughout the milk and will not separate to form a cream layer.

Sterilised milk is first homogenised, then bottled and heat treated. It will keep for seven days or longer.

Dried milk is either sprayed- forced at pressure through a vent hole to fall in powder form in a heated chamber, or it is skimmed by rollers- process- poured over hot rollers to dry and be scraped off.

Milk should be used on the same day of purchase. Always store in a covered container to protect it from dust, insects and germs, also from absorbing flavours from other foods. Always stored in the refrigerator. As milk is an ideal medium for the growth of micro- organisms, its bacteriological condition is of great importance. Very rigid standards are laid down by law for the handling of milk products. Contaminated dairy product can cause tuberculosis, typhoid, diphtheria, scarlet fever. All containers and utensils used for the preparation of milk must be sterilised in boiling water before use.

"Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many diseases in the baby.

Milk derived from cattle species is an important food with many nutrients. The precise nutrient composition of raw milk vary by species and by a number of other factors, but it contains significant amounts of saturated fat, protein and calcium as well as vitamin C. Cow's milk has a pH ranging from 6.4 to 6.8, making it slightly acidic.^[1][2]

Throughout the world, there are more than 6 billion consumers of milk and milk products, the majority of them in developing countries. Over 750 million people live within dairy farming households. World's dairy farms produced about 720 million tonnes of milk in 2010.^[3]India is the world's largest producer and consumer of milk, yet neither exports nor imports milk. New Zealand, EU-15 and Australia are the world's three largest exporters of milk and milk products. China, Mexico and Japan are the world's largest importers of milk and milk products. Milk is a key contributor to improving nutrition and food security particularly in developing countries. Improvements in livestock, dairy technology and milk quality may offer the most promise in reducing poverty and malnutrition in the world"-wikipedia

DAIRY CREAM

Andrew Boorde wrote ‘crayme is eaten more for a sensual appetyte’- words recorded over 400 years ago, which suggest that cream is consumed simply because it tastes nice. Cream is still a very popular product, used to enhance the enjoyment of food- in flavour and enrichment. It is also a versatile one – an ideal body- builder for foam products, such as mousses, bavarois, ice cream, fruit fools, or can be used just as an accompaniment.

Developments in food- processing technology have led to improvements in the quality and type of cream available today. Differences in fat content, heat treatment and the way in which creams are sold and packaged have considerably widened the choice of cream available.

WHAT IS CREAM?

The Cream Regulations 1970 defines cream as ‘that part of milk rich in fat which has been separated by skimming or otherwise, and which is intended for sale for human consumption’. The fat content of cream is higher than of the milk or water content. Cream, like milk, is basically an emulsion of fat in water. The butter- fat globules are dispersed in a medium of skimmed milk containing protein, lactose, minerals and some vitamins.

"Cream is a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, over time, the lighter fat rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream this process is accelerated by using centrifuges called "separators". In many countries, cream is sold in several grades depending on the total butterfat content. Cream can be dried to a powder for shipment to distant markets.

Cream skimmed from milk may be called "sweet cream" to distinguish it from whey cream skimmed from whey, a by-product ofcheese-making. Whey cream has a lower fat content and tastes more salty, tangy and "cheesy".^[1]

Cream produced by cattle (particularly Jersey cattle) grazing on natural pasture often contains some natural carotenoidpigments derived from the plants they eat; this gives the cream a slight yellow tone, hence the name of the yellowish-white color, cream. Cream from goat's milk, or from cows fed indoors on grain or grain-based pellets, is white"-wikipedia