Dairy Food Facts

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Milk processed at high temperatures that has been sold in Europe for years will be available soon in the United States. UHT, or ultra high temperature milk, is a process whereby the milk is sterilized while preserving its nutritional qualities. The process allows milk to be stored unopened without refrigeration for as much as six months.
UHT milk has been sold in Europe for 30 years.
In Spain, UHT milk accounts for 80 to 90 percent of all milk sold.
California produces the most milk: 3 billion gallons per year.

Wisconsin produces the most cheese at over 2 billion pounds per year.
Overall milk consumption in the United States is down. One reason in the number of meals we eat out substituting soda and other beverages for the milk.
When milk is discussed, the mineral calcium always seems to enter the conversation. While milk is a good source of calcium, so is cheese and dark green leafy vegetables. In fact, to obtain the same amount of calcium from 5-1/2 pints of milk, you need only to eat 2 ounces of cheese. This information is not being provided to discourage people from drinking milk however; milk is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and protein.
If milk is getting close to the curdling stage, try adding a teaspoon or two of baking soda to the milk. It will give you a few more good days.
While milk has been described in numerous nutrition publications as a near perfect food, there are two facts that should be taken into consideration:
1. Milk quality is dependent on the feeding habits of the cows. Poor feeding habits with insufficient green feed produces a lower nutrient milk.
2. Many cows will receive large doses of antibiotics, traces of which have shown up in milk.
Thin cream can be whipped by adding one tablespoon of unflavored gelatin that is dissolved in one tablespoon of hot water. If you add this to 2 cups of cream, it will whip up as good as heavy cream and will keep in the refrigerator for three to four hours.
Heavy cream will whip faster if you add six to eight drops of lemon juice per pint, which will make 2 cups of cream.
Cream whips but milk does not. The reason being the higher fat content. Whole milk is only 3.3 percent fat while heavy cream is 38 percent fat. During the whipping process the fat globules break open causing them to stick together in clumps. Also, air is trapped between the fat globules.
Milk that has been pasteurized and homogenized may be frozen for up to two weeks, but be sure to pour off a small amount to allow for expansion.
Fresh milk will stay fresher longer, if you add a pinch of salt to each quart.
After you open a can of evaporated milk, place a wad of wax paper in the holes to keep it fresh longer and to stop the milk from crusting in the holes.
Cottage cheese will last longer if you store it upside down. Spores get into the cottage cheese and live on the oxygen layer when closed up. When you turn it upside down, you eliminate a percentage of the available oxygen and the spores cannot grow as fast.
Cottage cheese only retains 25 to 50 percent of the calcium from the milk it is made of.
There are no federal regulations regarding frozen yogurt; many are closer to ice milk in nutrient content than real yogurt, especially where calcium is concerned. While his may not be bad, watch out for the sugar content.
Yogurt consumption in the United States has tripled in the last few decades.
When boiling milk, you can prevent it from sticking to the pot if you rinse the pot in cold water before staring.
Sour cream can be home made by adding three to four drops of pure lemon juice to every three-quarter cup of whipping cream. Let sit at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
Sour cream contains about 18 percent milk fat; light sour cream has 10 to 12 percent.
Many brands of frozen yogurt have as many calories as ice cream. All they do is substitute sugar for fat.
Powdered milk should always be kept on hand, especially if you run out of milk.
If skim milk is too thin and watery for you, try adding a tablespoon or two of nonfat dried milk to it. It will become thicker and richer as well as having a higher calcium and protein content, with no added fat.
To avoid freezer burn on ice cream, cover the top of the container with a plastic bag.
Lower price ice creams are usually lower in fat and calories due to their higher levels of air and water.
When whipping cream, place the bowl in the sink for less mess.
Whipped cream will not hold its shape well unless the label says it is a heavy cream. The cream will have a butterfat content of 40 percent, which gives it the body.
If you have trouble keeping your whipped cream up, try adding a small amount of gelatin when whipping it.
To avoid milk from boiling over, rinse the pot in cold water first.
Buttermilk was name for the product left over after cream was churned.
Buttermilk today comes from skim milk which has been cultured. This milk has a rich flavor and almost no fat.
A cow is more valuable for its milk, cheese, butter and yogurt than for its beef.
Evaporated milk can be used in place of whipping cream if you first place the can in the freezer until frozen, then pour it into a cooled bowl and add one tablespoon of lemon juice and two-thirds cup of milk. This should whip up nicely.
When you are whipping cream, the bowl and the beaters should be placed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before they are used. When whipping, place the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes, with a light layer of salt on too pot make it even colder.
Imitation milk contains no real milk. It is made from water, sugar and vegetable fat. Usually contains only 1 percent protein compared to 3.5 percent in milk.
Filled milk is a combination of skim milk using vegetable oil to replace the milk fat. Sometimes contains coconut oil.
Milk will not burn if you sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar on top of the milk before starting to cook. However, if you stir it, it may still burn.
Creamed cottage cheese contains 4.2 percent fat or 9.5 grams per cup. Not recommended for dieters.
Low fat cottage cheese contains 1 or 2 percent low fat milk.
Uncreamed cottage cheese is similar to low fat and is often sold salt-free. It can be used in recipes calling for cottage cheese. Usually it will not need more seasoning than standard cottage cheese.
Milk can retain its freshness for up to one week after the expiration date on the carton.
Buttermilk contains only 1 percent milk fat.
Whole milk is the highest source of saturated fatty acids in the American diet.
A glass of warm milk before bedtime can be a very soothing drink containing the amino acid trytophan, which can reduce anxiety and stressful feelings.
Chocolate milk may interfere with calcium from the milk. The chocolate contains the chemical oxalate, a calcium neutralizer which affects the absorption.
Throw out any milk product that has mold on it.
Warm milk can cause insomnia in persons who have a milk lactose intolerance.
Calcium in milk stimulates the secretion of stomach acids that may irritate ulcers. Antacids with high buffering qualities are better. Food will also act as a buffer.
Milk is better purchased in paper cartons which block 98 percent of the harmful effect of the light. The plastic containers in just four hours of store light can destroy 44 percent of the vitamin A in low fat and skim milk containers. Some markets have installed light shields to avoid the problem.
Cream cheese has a higher percent of saturated fat than any other cheese. Two tablespoons contain approximately 10.6 grams of fat and only 0.3 grams of polyunsaturated fat. Ninety percent of its calories are fat.
The homogenization process, may allow an enzyme xanthane oxidase to be released into the bloodstream and reduce the effectiveness of important body chemicals that protect the small coronary arteries.
The pasteurization process has also related to a number of potential health problems:
1. Milk allergies in children and adults destroy 50 percent of the vitamin C content
2. Destroys 25 percent of the vitamin B1 content
3. Destroys 9 to 15 percent of the vitamin B content
Whole milk contains 3.5 percent fat.
Low fat milk contains 2 percent fat.
Skim milk contains no fat.
Certified raw milk is the best milk, but you need to be sure the product is pure.
Whole milk contains 65 percent saturated fatty acids.
Many people do not have the proper enzyme (lactase) to break milk down, thus causing digestive problems and diarrhea.
BGH (Bovine growth hormone) is used to help cows increase milk production. It is not banned by the FDA and according to the latest studies and tests, traces have not been found in milk.