Choosing Dairy Foods

FACS Standards 8.5.1, 8.5.2, 8.5.3, 8.5.4, 8.5.5, 8.5.6, 8.5.7Kowtaluk, Helen and Orphanos Kopan, Alice. Food For Today. McGraw Hill-Glencoe. 2004.

Nutrients in Milk

An almost perfect food – high in proteins, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc

Fortified with vitamin D

Types Of Milk

Type of Milk Amount of Fat

Whole Milk 8 g. of fat per 8 oz. (250 mL) serving

Reduced- fat Milk 5 g. fat per 8 oz. (250 mL) serving

Low-fat Milk 2.5 g per 8 oz. (250 mL) serving

Fat-free Milk Trace of fat

Whole milk contains 87% water and 13% solids, some of which are milk fat; other solids which are fat-free contain most of the protein, vitamins, minerals, and lactose (milk sugar)

Fat-free milk solids also found in reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk

Processing of fluid milk

Look for pasteurized milk – heat-treated to kill enzymes and harmful bacteria

Enzymes can spoil milk quickly Ultra-pasteurized – higher temperature

than pasteurization to keep longer in refrigerator

Higher temperature – UHT – ultra-high temperature processing – milk becomes a shelf-stable product that is packaged in aseptic container

Milk fat lighter than other milk fluids, so separates and rises to the top

Homogenization – process that breaks down fat and evenly distributes it throughout the milk

Buttermilk

Tart, buttery flavored, smooth, thick textured milk

Cultured – fermented by a harmless bacteria added during pasteurization

Other cultured dairy products – yogurt and sour cream

Kefir

Cultured beverage similar in flavor to yogurt; authentic Middle Eastern product made of fermented camel’s milk; in U.S. is made of cultured cow’s milk

Chocolate Milk

Has chocolate or cocoa and sweetener added

Fat-Free Dry Milk

Powdered form of ft-free milk; when reconstituted, it needs to be handled like real milk; mixes easily with water; powder may be added to recipes to increase nutrients – protein, calcium, without adding fat

Evaporated milk

Canned whole or fat-free milk containing only ½ amount of water of regular milk; used as a cream substitute

Sweetened condensed milk

Concentrated, condensed form of milk used to make candy and desserts; water evaporated from milk and sugar added to 45%

Lactose-free or reduced-lactose milk

Available for those who are lactose intolerant

Yogurt

Made by adding harmless culture to milk; tick, creamy, custard-like product with tangy flavor; available plain or flavored; higher in calcium than liquid milk

Ripened Cheeses

Also called aged cheese; made from curds to which ripening agents are added; texture ranges from soft, semi-soft, semi-hard, hard to very hard

Unripened cheeses

Made from curds that have not been aged; keep only a few days in the refrigerator

Specialty cheeses

Created by combining several ripened cheeses by either cold or hot processing methods

Cold-pack cheese – blend of ripened cheeses processed without heat; flavorings and seasonings often added

Pasteurized process cheese – blend of ripened cheeses processed with heat – process American cheeses, cheese spread, cheese food

Cream

Liquid separated from milk Heavy cream – highest in fat, whips

easily Light cream – not as high in fat, used in

coffee

Half – and - half

mixture of milk and cream

Sour cream

made by adding lactic acid bacteria to cream – thick and rich with a tangy flavor; relatively high in calories and fat; use sparingly

Butter

Made from milk, cream, or a combination of the two; high in saturated fat, contains cholesterol; use in moderation

Graded for quality by USDA Grade AA – superior in quality; delicate,

sweet flavor, smooth, creamy texture, spreads well; salted or unsalted

Grade A – very good in quality; pleasing flavor with smooth texture

Grade B – made from sour cream; pleasing flavor

Ice cream

Whipped frozen mixture of milk, cream, sweeteners, flavorings, other additives – regular, reduced-fat, low-fat, fat-free, no-sugar-added

Frozen yogurt

Similar to ice cream; low-fat and fat-free varieties

Sherbet

Made from milk fat, sugar, water, flavoring, and other additives; generally less fat and more sugar than regular ice cream

Buying & Storing Dairy Products

Look at the date – most milk can be used safely up to 5 days past “sell by” date; yogurt and some ripened cheese can be kept for longer periods of time; be sure containers sealed tightly

Dairy foods – highly perishable; store immediately; refrigerate in their original container

Tightly close milk and cream containers – can pick up aromas of other foods

Store milk away from light – which destroys riboflavin

Keep cheeses tightly wrapped Hard cheeses can be frozen, but

texture changes Refrigerate butter up to several weeks;

freeze up to 9 months Store ice cream in tightly covered

original container