Fat content of milk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The fat content of milk is the proportion of milk made up by butterfat. The fat content, particularly of cow's milk, is modified to make a variety of products. The fat content of milk is usually stated on the container, and the colour of the label or milk bottle top varied to enable quick recognition.
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[edit] Methods for changing fat content
To reduce the fat content of milk, e.g. for skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, all of the fat is removed and then the required quantity returned.[citation needed] The fat content of the milk produced by cows can also be altered, by selective breeding and genetic modification. For example, scientists in New Zealand have bred cows that produce skimmed milk (less than 1% fat content).[1] Milk's fat content can be determined by experimental means, such as the Babcock test.
[edit] Terms for fat content by country
The terminology for different types of milk, and the regulations regarding labelling, varies by country and region.
[edit] Canada
In Canada "whole" milk refers to creamline (unhomogenized) milk. "Homogenized" milk refers to milk which is 3.25% butterfat. Generally all store-bought milk in Canada has been homogenized. Yet, the term is also used as a name to describe butterfat content for a specific variety of milk. Modern commercial dairy processing techniques involve first removing all of the butterfat, and then adding back the appropriate amount depending on which product is being produced on that particular line.
In the U.S. and Canada, a blended mixture of half cream and half milk is often sold in small quantities and is called half-and-half. Half-and-half is used for creaming coffee and similar uses. In Canada, low-fat cream is available, which has half the fat content of half-and-half.
[edit] United States
| Butterfat content | U.S. terminology |
|---|---|
| Above 36% | Heavy whipping cream |
| 30 – 36% | Whipping cream or Light whipping cream |
| 25% | Medium cream |
| 18 – 30% | Light, coffee, or table cream |
| 10.5 – 18% | Half and half |
| 3.25% | Whole milk |
| about 2% | 2% or Reduced fat [2] |
| 1.5 – 1.8% | Semi-skimmed |
| about 1% | 1% or Low fat [2] |
| 0.5 – 0.0% | Nonfat or Skim or Skimmed [2] |
In the USA, skimmed milk is also known as "fat free" milk, due to USDA regulations stating that any food with less than ½ gram of fat per serving can be labelled "fat free".[2]
[edit] United Kingdom
The UK sells three main varieties of milk by fat content, skimmed, semi-skimmed and whole milk. These make up 17%, 58% and 25% of the market respectively.[1][3] Until 1 January 2008, milk with butterfat content outside the ranges defined by the European Commission could not legally be sold as milk. This included 1% milk, meaning The One, a 1% variety launched by Robert Wiseman Dairies, could not be labelled as milk. Lobbying by Britain has allowed these other percentages to be sold as milk.[4] Since the change in regulation, Sainsbury's has launched a 1% variety with an orange milk bottle top.[5]
| Butterfat content | UK Terminology |
|---|---|
| 5.5% | Channel Island milk or breakfast milk [6] |
| 3.5% | Whole milk or full fat milk [6] |
| 1.5 – 1.8% | Semi-skimmed [7] |
| 1% | The One or 1% |
| Less than 0.3% | Skimmed [7] |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Scientists breed cows that give skimmed milk. Times Online. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
- ^ a b c d Skimming the Milk Label. FDA. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
- ^ Whole milk banned in schools to fight obesity. Times Online. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
- ^ Milk producers urged to skim off more fat as EU relaxes rules. Times Online. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
- ^ 1% Fat Milk. Sainsburys. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
- ^ a b Milk. Delia Online. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
- ^ a b The Milk and Dairies (Semi-skimmed and Skimmed Milk) (Heat Treatment and Labelling) Regulations 1988. Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament. Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
