Text A. MILK PROCESSING

I. DAIRY PRODUCTS

Fluid milk for commercial distribution is usually pasteurized, that is subjected to a temperature of 61.7°C for at least 30 min or 71.7°C for 15 sec, and then cooled and bottled. The importance of safety and cleanliness is stressed in the dairy industry. Milk may also be condensed or evaporated, dried, powdered, or separated into skim milk and cream.

Butter is churned from cream. Margarines are similar to butter but made of hydrogenated fats, usually vegetable in origin, with added butter-type flavours and colouring.

Ice cream is the frozen product made from a combination of milk products (cream, butter, or milk - either whole or evaporated, condensed, skimmed, or dried) and two or more of the following in-gredients: eggs, water, and sugar, with flavouring and colouring matter. In the manufacture of ice cream, freezing is accompanied by agitation of the ingredients to avoid crystallization and to incorporate air for proper texture.

Cheese is the product made from curd obtained from the whole, partly skimmed, or skimmed milk of cows or other animals, with or without added cream.

Many fermented products are produced from milk. These fermentations require the use of bacteria that ferment lactose or milk sugar.