UHT drinking milk. UHT milk history. We all know from childhood that dairy products are a source of calcium, which is so necessary for the growth and development of the child’s body. What is UHT milk?

Hello! On store shelves you can find different types of dairy products: full-fat and low-fat milk, pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized and sterilized, as well as drinks with all kinds of additives. A logical question arises: do all types of products benefit our body?

Today we will touch on the topic of ultra-pasteurized milk in more detail, since this is what many people prefer to replace fresh milk. The latter, unfortunately, is not available to everyone. Lucky is the bodybuilder who lives in a village and has the opportunity to drink natural, fresh milk every day. So, let’s look at the benefits and harms of ultra-pasteurized milk.

What is ultra-pasteurization of milk? We are grateful to the Frenchman Louis Pasteur for the discovery of this beverage processing process. Pasteurization involves heat treatment of a product at a certain temperature. Next comes its sharp cooling. Thus, all germs and bacteria in the milk die.

However, vitamins, minerals and other substances beneficial to humans remain without time to be destroyed. During pasteurization, the temperature ranges from +60 to +130 degrees.

Thanks to different temperature conditions, we get different types of milk:

• 70-74°– pasteurized milk; storage – no more than 10 days;
• 90° and baked milk kept at this temperature for 4 hours, shelf life - 1 month;
• 110°– sterilized, to which salts and stabilizers are added to prevent the milk from quickly turning sour; can be stored for six months;
• 125-130°– ultra-pasteurized. With such heat treatment, intense heating and rapid cooling to 20 degrees are important. Shelf life is from 4 months to a year.

Then the product is poured into aseptic containers. The packaging consists of 3 layers. Cardboard for rigidity, polyethylene to prevent moisture penetration, and foil to protect from light and air.

You should not boil UHT milk - it has already been heat-treated, and additional heating will destroy beneficial bacteria and microorganisms.

More recently, many buyers were afraid that these types of products contain antibiotics, which prevent the natural product from deteriorating quickly. Expert Olga Sokolova, a researcher at the Central Laboratory of Microbiology of the All-Russian Research Institute of the Dairy Industry, is in a hurry to reassure dairy lovers.

According to her, it is true that some antibiotics and other substances were previously added to pasteurized milk. GOST allowed this. But according to the latest revisions of the standards, any additional substances in the drink were prohibited.

It is also worth noting that there is milk of varying degrees of fat content, which can also be processed. We often wonder when we see numbers with percentages on a pack of dairy products: what does this mean? The numbers indicate the fat content of milk:

• 3.5% - whole, fat;
• 3.2% - normal fat content;
• 4-6% - increased fat content;
• 2.5% – reduced fat content of the product.

Pasteurized or UHT? Which one to choose?

The shelf life of products is different and it seems that an ultra-pasteurized drink, which is prescribed not to spoil for about a year, can be more harmful to our health than pasteurized milk. So which one is better to include in your diet?

According to experts, simple pasteurization involves a longer heat treatment process, so this milk contains much less vitamins and microelements that are beneficial for people. Therefore, UHT dairy product has greater value. In addition, it is made from natural, whole cow's milk of the highest quality.

What is the benefit of the product?

Many studies conducted both by domestic laboratories, in particular at the All-Russian Research Institute of the Dairy Industry, and foreign ones, say that this type of drink contains almost all microelements useful for the human body:

1. Milk protein (casein 80%, albumin 13%, globulin 7%) - it is considered one of the most quickly digested proteins. It reduces the load on the stomach and intestines. Therefore, it is recommended to drink milk after physical activity. 250 ml of liquid contains 8 grams of protein.
2. Calcium helps muscle growth and muscle mass gain. It has a beneficial effect on strengthening bone mass.
3. Dairy product fats contain vitamins A, K, B, E. But here I would like to add that at a more mature age, after 40-50 years, milk fats are less absorbed by the body. Therefore, it is better to consume low-fat milk.

After training, milk retains water and restores natural water balance. The drink also suppresses hunger due to the presence of slow-moving fats and proteins. It blocks the ability of insulin to convert carbohydrates into subcutaneous fat.

Because of this blockage, you can drink milk to gain weight without fear of obesity. The drink is also considered a high-calorie product with an energy value of up to 500 calories.

Bodybuilders call milk the cheapest mass-gaining product. The value of fish and meat is approximately equal to the digestibility of milk.

Many bodybuilders use the product as part of a carbohydrate or protein shake. According to American scientists, by adding a spoonful of cocoa to the healthy white liquid, you can increase the value of the drink, and then the diluted milk restores the athlete’s strength between workouts twice as quickly.

In addition, this type of product has an excellent effect on the cardiovascular system and normalizes metabolism. It also helps in the fight against depression and stress, while improving sleep and overall well-being.

An ultra-pasteurized product has less fat content than fresh milk. Therefore, pediatricians recommend this milk for children starting from one month of age.

Harm from dairy products

The drink can be harmful to those who are intolerant to lactose, the sugar in milk. However, there is a way out here too. Those suffering from lactase deficiency should try replacing just milk with

Some scientists claim that such drinking can cause cancer in men. The reason is explained by the fact that certain hormones are added to the food for cows, which are dangerous for the stronger half of humanity.

A little about quality

So what is the best UHT milk for both adults and children to drink? Reviews from many customers, as well as Rosselkhoznadzor, offer the following rating for product quality:

• Milk from Wimm-Bill-Dann;
• "Siberian milk";
• "Timashevsky plant";
• "Irbitsky plant";
• "Reclamation";
• "Turks".

You can look at the rating of “private” companies producing dairy products that have been checked by Rosselkhoznadzor at official website of the register of supervised objects "Cerberus".

Write in the comments - do you use this product and what are your impressions of it?

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Milk is in demand all over the world. However, like most perishable foods, it is almost never sold fresh. Before entering the store, milk undergoes mandatory pre-treatment at the factory. But if everyone has long been accustomed to the pasteurized version, then the inscription on the package “ultra-pasteurized” makes some consumers think. Since this point can affect the usefulness of the product, it is worth understanding the terminology more thoroughly.

What it is?

UHT milk, also known to many as sterilized milk, is drinking milk that has been treated with high temperature to eliminate any living microorganisms. This product is suitable not only for consumption in its pure form. With its addition you can also prepare any dishes and baked goods. It is even allowed to give it to babies.

Ultra-pasteurization means that whole fresh milk is heated as quickly as possible using a special apparatus to a temperature of about 140 degrees, which it must withstand for about 15-20 seconds. After this, the product is cooled at the same maximum speed to the temperature at which it could be stored in the refrigerator. Such operations mean that all living components of milk, of which there were quite a lot in the original, die. All that remains is the taste and beneficial microelements, which, naturally, do not disappear anywhere.

At the same time, some microorganisms that died as a result of heating could benefit humans, but their death is justified in its own way, because when sealed, such milk can be stored for up to six months.

In a large country with many remote regions, ultra-pasteurization is the only way to deliver milk to sparsely populated areas.

Benefits and harms

Perhaps any other type of milk or fermented milk product is slightly healthier than the ultra-pasteurized version. Still, the absence of lactic acid bacteria, which play an important role in establishing digestion, and some other components affects it. Nevertheless, you should not underestimate the usefulness of such milk either, because most of the beneficial microelements are not broken down when heated to 140 degrees.

In addition, thanks to such processing, it becomes possible to convey them to the consumer, preserving them for a longer period.

As a rule, the ultra-pasteurized variety has a slightly lower fat content percentage than fresh milk, which is why this option is preferable for babies. Finally, significant heating is a worthy substitute for adding preservatives. Therefore, when choosing UHT milk, you at least clearly understand why it does not spoil, and you can be sure that it does not contain unnecessary additives.

As for harm, drinking ultra-pasteurized milk can practically not cause it. This product is not perishable, so even the likelihood of poisoning from a spoiled drink is minimized. Therefore, we can say that the only danger remains individual lactose intolerance, caused by the lack of enzymes in the adult body to digest this substance. There are entire nations (for example, the Chinese or many peoples of the North) who have such a widespread problem, but among our fellow citizens the percentage of people with lactose intolerance is relatively small.

How is it different from pasteurized?

For many consumers, “ultra-pasteurized” is just a fancy name for pasteurized milk that should attract the buyer. In fact, the difference is obvious. First of all, it lies in the production process. Every housewife probably knows that before use, village milk must be heated (bring to a state close to boiling, but still not boiling). This solution allows you to destroy most harmful microorganisms, while maintaining all or almost all of the benefits of the drink. Actually, this is pasteurization, only at home.

At the plant, pasteurized milk is produced at temperatures from 60 to 98 degrees. The higher the temperature, the shorter the duration of heating (on average - from 14 minutes to an hour). As mentioned above, the ultra-pasteurization process is very similar in principle, and even the opposite pattern remains, but the numbers differ greatly in the direction of increasing the temperature and reducing the processing time.

As a result, the difference affects the composition, benefits, and shelf life of the product. Pasteurized milk is healthier, but like all other minimally processed natural products, it has a shelf life of a few days at best. Ultra-pasteurization allows you to extend the life of a package of milk up to six months, delivering it even to the most remote regions. However, the resulting benefit is somewhat lower, because beneficial microorganisms also die during processing.

As already mentioned, pasteurized milk contains vitamins and minerals, as well as beneficial lactic acid bacteria, while the UHT version does not contain the latter component.

Features of storage and use

GOST does not put forward clearly described requirements for ultra-pasteurized milk, so it may be slightly different for each manufacturer. It is known that such a product can be stored for several months, but even the first place in the ranking of shelf life among dairy products does not mean that the product is preserved in the full sense. Like a regular carton of pasteurized milk, UHT milk is stored strictly in the refrigerator. However, even such storage conditions imply a significant acceleration of the ripening process if the package is opened, although due to the higher processing temperature, milk from an open package can be drunk for about four days. Of course, these figures are approximate, so you should focus primarily on the expiration date indicated on the packaging of a particular product.

It is also worth noting that boiling UHT milk before use is pointless. It has already been industrially heated to a temperature above the boiling point, and repeated processing can simply “finish off” the remaining beneficial substances.

You will learn more about UHT milk in the following video.

While in Western countries the overwhelming number of consumers prefer UHT milk, we still have prejudice towards this product. It is assumed that the treatment of milk with heat, after which it can be stored in room conditions for a whole year, leaves only one memory of its beneficial substances in the product. In reality, such suspicions are not true. Whether such milk is healthy will be discussed further.

Pasteurized and UHT: what's the difference?

Developed in the century before last by the Frenchman Louis Pasteur and named after him, the method involves the disinfection of food liquids through heat treatment. During pasteurization, liquid products are heated to 60 °C for an hour or to 70–80 °C for half an hour.

Ultra-pasteurization, which, as its name suggests, is a variant of pasteurization, also uses high temperatures to rid products of pathogens. The difference lies only in the level of temperature used and the time it is exposed to the product.

With this method, it is exposed to heat ranging between 135 and 150 °C for just a few seconds, followed by rapid cooling to 4-5 °C.

As a result, in ultra-pasteurized food products, not only all pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed, but also their spores, which is not observed in its pasteurized form.

Did you know? At the beginning of the century before last, milk served as a carrier of tuberculosis, which was put an end to by the pasteurization of this product.

The benefits and harms of UHT milk

The still existing wary attitude towards this type of milk lies in the common mistake due to which UHT food products are mistaken for sterilized.

Subjected to temperatures above one hundred degrees, that is, practically boiling for an hour, milk is ultimately truly freed not only from all types of pathogenic cultures, but also from almost all useful substances.

What's the benefit

Possessing all the benefits of fresh cow's milk and at the same time being guaranteed free from harmful microorganisms, the ultra-pasteurized product is able to:

• serve as the basis for baby food in its various types;
• strengthen the skeletal system due to the presence of calcium;
• optimize the activity of the cardiovascular system;
• normalize metabolic processes in the body;
• help in the fight against depression and stress;
• strengthen sleep;
• normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract.

Did you know? The proteins contained in milk have the ability to bind and neutralize poisons, which is why in hazardous industries workers there are given this product to improve their health.

Is it harmful?

The concepts of “benefit” and “harm” in relation to UHT milk are clearly unequal categories, since the benefits of this type of product are obvious, and the harm is negligible.

Moreover, there is no need to talk about any specific harm that this particular type of product can cause to the human body.
We may be talking about some problems that cow's milk in general can provoke:

• first of all, this concerns a quarter of the planet’s population, which, according to research in all corners of the world, suffers from individual intolerance to a given food product in general;
• Until now, doctors have not come to a general conclusion whether milk is harmful for older people due to problems with the production of enzymes in their bodies that break down lactose;
• There is a suspicion that cancer in men is provoked by hormones that are given to cows to stimulate year-round milk production.

However, all this has nothing to do with the ultra-pasteurization method, but belongs, so to speak, to general milk properties.

Important! UHT milk should never be boiled to avoid destroying the nutrients present in it.

Which milk is healthier?

Many people mistakenly believe that a product subjected to conventional pasteurization is more useful than an ultra-pasteurized one, due to the fact that it is subjected to heat treatment at a lower temperature, which helps preserve more nutrients in it.

However, when clarifying the question of how pasteurization differs from ultra-pasteurization, it is necessary first of all to pay attention not to the level of temperatures used, but to the duration of their effect on the product.
The lower temperatures used in the production of pasteurized milk affect the product immeasurably longer than the higher temperatures used in the production of UHT milk.

As a result, lower temperatures do not allow the pasteurized product to be rid of bacterial spores, and prolonged heat treatment destroys some of the beneficial substances inside it.

In the case of the product under discussion, short-term exposure to high temperatures guarantees its complete disinfection while simultaneously almost completely preserving all its beneficial properties.

Rules and terms of product storage

Most often produced in hard bags, this unopened product can be stored at room temperature for at least a month and a half and a maximum of a year. Most often, manufacturers offer a guaranteed shelf life of six to nine months.

Important! An unopened milk carton can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than five days.

Safe, retaining maximum nutrients and having a very long shelf life, ultra-pasteurized milk, which has won 90 percent of consumers in Western Europe and the USA, is slowly but surely gaining its fans in our country.

UHT milk: video

IN The truth about UHT milk

Milk is a source of beneficial enzymes, fatty acids, calcium, vitamins (A, C, D and group B), hormones and immune bodies, and has antitoxic properties. Milk protein is easily digestible, which is why milk is a favorite product among athletes who build muscle mass, and in everyday life milk is ideal for maintaining overall tone. Milk has a beneficial effect on digestion and the nervous system. Scientists have proven that a glass of milk at night improves sleep.
Country milk obtained in the traditional way is rightfully considered the healthiest. But there is no such opportunity for a metropolis resident. And besides, in the 21st century it would not hurt to know that when consuming fresh milk, the risk most often exceeds the benefit, because it contains not only the valuable vitamins and minerals listed above. If the cow is sick, or the barn does not maintain sanitary standards, then pathogenic microbes and bacteria can get into the milk.

So, what should a modern resident of a big city do, who was first imposed a stereotype that he only needs to drink fresh milk, and now experts prohibit consuming it for safety reasons?

Here, dairy producers came to the aid of confused people; it is thanks to their efforts that the shelves of stores and supermarkets are literally bursting with an abundance of different types of milk.
Let's start with the fact that not all milk sold in stores is created equal. Surely, each of you has seen different markings on milk packages? Milk is “pasteurized,” “sterilized,” or “ultra-pasteurized.” What do these terms mean?

Pasteurization

Pasteurization technology is a one-time heating of liquid products or substances to 60 °C for 60 minutes or at a temperature of 70-80 °C for 30 minutes.
During pasteurization, the vegetative forms of microorganisms in the product die, but the spores remain in a viable state and, when favorable conditions arise, begin to develop intensively. Therefore, pasteurized products are stored at low temperatures for a very short time.

pros

After pasteurization, milk retains most of its beneficial components

Minuses

Pasteurization does not completely protect against germs and harmful bacteria
After pasteurization, milk is not completely free of germs, so it quickly turns sour.
Shelf life: Pasteurized milk does not last long - even sealed and refrigerated, it can be stored for only a few days, but at room temperature its life is reduced to several hours.

Sterilization

Sterilization technology - milk is kept at temperatures above 100°C for 20-30 minutes.

pros

The milk is completely sterile and has a long shelf life.

Minuses

Sterilized milk loses almost all useful components during processing.
Shelf life: about six months

Ultra pasteurization

UHT technology is the treatment of raw milk for 2-3 seconds with sterile steam at a temperature of 135-150°C. After which the milk is immediately cooled to 4-5 °C and poured into sterile sealed packaging.
Objective: to produce high-quality drinking milk that does not need to be boiled.
After all, boiled milk loses many of its healing properties, proteins decompose and heat-sensitive vitamin C is destroyed, and calcium and phosphorus turn into insoluble compounds that are not absorbed by the human body.

Today, ultra-pasteurization is one of the most gentle ways to process milk. After the processing of raw milk, UHT milk retains a significant portion of all water-soluble vitamins B1, B6, B12, C, polyunsaturated fatty acids, lysine and cystine. Concentration of beta-carotene, as well as vitamins A, D, B2, B3, PP, H.

The main advantage of UHT milk over pasteurized...

Upon completion of the pasteurization process, some heat-resistant bacteria and their spores remain in the milk, and with ultra-pasteurization, due to the higher processing temperature, the bacteria in the milk are completely destroyed, while all the beneficial substances in the milk are preserved, since the heat treatment lasts only 2-4 seconds!

pros

Under ultra-pasteurization conditions, milk sugar (lactose) is not destroyed, and mineral salts (calcium, for example), vitamins and valuable enzymes retain their properties.
In this way, microflora and bacterial spores are removed from the milk, which lead to sour milk.
Ultra-pasteurization allows you to obtain milk that is completely free not only from microbes, but also from their spores and vegetative forms, so when consuming such milk you can be calm about your health.

Minuses

Once you have opened a package of UHT milk, you should store it in the refrigerator for no more than 4-5 days, otherwise it will spoil like any other.
Shelf life: After processing, UHT milk can be stored, sealed, for 6 weeks or longer at room temperature.
Conclusion: the secret of milk with a long shelf life lies in the rapid heating of fresh milk to high temperatures and sterile bottling conditions in special cardboard packaging. Such careful processing allows natural milk to be stored unopened for several months, preserving all its benefits.

Is there a difference between pasteurized and UHT milk? It is the quality of the milk that determines what the final result will be like. There are a number of rules regarding the choice of milk for cheese making and, taking them into account, you can brew a good, high-quality product. What types of milk are there, and which one is better to give preference when making cheese?

Types of milk

There are several types of milk and they all differ from each other, either in appearance or in the type of heat treatment. In traditional cheese making, cow's milk is most often used. But it is not uncommon to use goat and sheep. Here, as they say, it’s not for everyone.

Depending on the type of heat treatment, the dairy product is divided into several groups:

• melted;
• pasteurized;
• UHT;
• stylized.

What is the difference between milk according to the type of heat treatment, and which type is best suited for cheese making?

What is the difference between pasteurized milk and UHT milk? To understand this issue, it is necessary to find out what each of these thermal processes for processing store-bought milk is.

Pasteurization is the process of one-time heating of any liquid product or substance to a temperature of 60° for 1 hour. Pasteurization is also carried out according to another scheme: heating to a temperature of 70-80°C and holding for half an hour.

This technology first appeared in the 19th century. Its founder was microbiologist Louis Pasteur - hence the name of the process - pasteurization.

The essence of the pasteurization procedure is to disinfect the food product, as well as to extend the shelf life. And it is for this reason that pasteurized milk can be stored for quite a long time after opening the store packaging.

Pasteurization allows you to destroy the vegetative forms of microorganisms, but at the same time the spores continue to exist there in a viable state and as soon as favorable conditions arise, they begin to intensively develop and multiply.

Speaking about the nutritional value of pasteurized milk, it is believed that it practically does not change after such a thermal procedure.

Pasteurization happens:

• long – the heating temperature reaches 63-65°C for 30-60 minutes;
• short – the heating temperature reaches 85-90°C for 30-60 seconds;
• instantaneous - the heating temperature reaches 98°C for 10-15 seconds.

Although this type of milk retains the lion’s share of useful components, it is not considered completely devoid of microbial flora, so it turns sour relatively quickly.

Reference! At room temperature, the lifespan of pasteurized milk is reduced to several hours. In the refrigerator, this type of dairy product is suitable for use for several days. Afterwards, pathogenic microflora begins to develop in it and the process of souring develops.

Ultra pasteurization

What is the difference between UHT and pasteurized milk? The difference between UHT milk and pasteurized milk is that this thermal process is aimed solely at extending the shelf life of the product. Thanks to this type of heat treatment, it is possible to obtain high-quality drinking milk that does not require further boiling before use.

To say that ultra-pasteurized milk is healthier than pasteurized milk would be a mistake, because during the boiling process, proteins decompose, and heat-sensitive vitamin C is also destroyed. Calcium and phosphorus present in the product turn into insoluble compounds, and they, in turn, are no longer useful, because they are not absorbed by the body.

There are 2 options for ultraspateurization:

• contact of liquid with a heated surface, t=125-140°C;
• direct mixing of sterile steam and liquid, t=135-140°C.

All juices and raw milk undergo ultra-pasteurization. The heat treatment scheme itself is as follows: the liquid is heated for 2-3 seconds to a temperature of 135-150°C and instantly cooled to 4-5°C. Thanks to ultra-pasteurization, liquid products are completely purified from pathogens and microorganisms. And unlike pasteurization, milk after such heat treatment is suitable for use for 6 weeks or longer.

Thanks to ultra-pasteurization, all pathogenic microorganisms and bacterial spores that actively contribute to the souring of raw materials are removed from milk. And, according to manufacturers, after such heat treatment it is possible to preserve beneficial properties with minimal losses.

Sterilization

What is the difference between pasteurized milk and sterilized milk? Pasteurization and sterilization are 2 different thermal processes for treating liquids.

Sterilization refers to the complete purification of liquid from all types of microorganisms, including bacteria and their spores, fungi, virions, and prion protein. Sterilized milk is obtained by several methods:

• thermal;
• chemical;
• radiation;
• filtration.

In this case we are talking about complete sterilization of instruments and equipment, equipment, etc. Speaking about milk in particular, during the sterilization process it is kept at a temperature above 100°C for 20-30 minutes. This product is completely sterile and can be consumed without prior boiling.

The shelf life of milk after sterilization reaches several weeks from the moment the package is opened. But you should understand that there are absolutely no bacteria in it, which means that such raw materials are not suitable for yogurt. In addition, during the sterilization process, not only pathogenic bacteria and microbes are removed from milk, but also the lion’s share of useful substances, therefore, there is no benefit in it.

Rendering

Baked milk product undergoes a longer cooking process. According to the technology, the raw materials are kept at a temperature of 85-98°C for 3 or more hours until the product acquires a characteristic cream or light brown tint.

Due to prolonged exposure to high temperature on a liquid, a significant change in its structure and components occurs. This heat treatment leads to the denaturation of whey proteins, the destruction of vitamins and an increase in the mass fraction of fat in milk - this is due to the evaporation of water during the cooking process.

This milk can be stored for a long time, but it practically does not contain those useful components for which we purchase this drink.

Milk in cheese making: which one is better to choose

Which milk, pasteurized or ultra, is more suitable for cheese making? According to many cheese makers, the best choice in the process of making cheese is natural milk, bottled on farms and not yet undergone any processing. Why? It is this milk product that is characterized by the best taste and structure.

In addition, homemade milk will produce much more cheese than pasteurized milk. It is also worth noting that the absence of a pasteurization process indicates that pathogenic bacteria may be present in the product. Therefore, when giving preference to natural, unpasteurized milk, try to ensure that it is as fresh as possible and tested for purity.

Advice! Buy milk only from trusted sellers and farmers. The quality of the finished cheese, its structure and taste, respectively, depend on the quality of the dairy product.

In addition to natural milk, once pasteurized milk is also used in cheese making, no more than 3-4 days have passed since bottling it.

The pasteurization process can be carried out independently by heating the milk at temperatures above 75°C. Only this temperature gives confidence that pathogenic microflora is eliminated, and the milk protein, which creates the necessary cheese curd, is not damaged. However, in this case, calcium chloride should also be used, thanks to it, the necessary curdling of the milk is ensured, as well as a clean separation of the whey.

It is extremely undesirable to use ultra-pasteurized milk products in the process of making cheese, since its structure will never allow you to get that same cheese curd.

Now a few words about the fat content of milk. The most preferable option would be a high fat content product - 4-6%. But, since it is extremely rare to find pasteurized high-fat milk in stores, milk with a fat content of 3.2% is also suitable for making cheese. But when the dairy product is homemade and not diluted with water, then it definitely contains at least 4% fat.

How to choose the right milk for making cheese

If you manage to find a farmer from whom it is convenient to purchase raw materials, then you should check its quality:

1. Milk must not be pasteurized. We are talking about the absence of factory pasteurization. In principle, 9 out of 10 farmers sell unpasteurized milk. But even gentle pasteurization done by the farmer in order to extend the shelf life of the milk will not greatly spoil the recipe of the future cheese.
2. We buy only fresh milk. It is highly undesirable to use yesterday’s product or one that is already more than 12 hours old in the process of making cheese. From the moment the milk is released to the start of making the cheese, 4-5 hours should pass.
3. Dairy raw materials must be visually clean, without any foreign substances.
4. It sounds corny, but milk should smell like milk! Foreign odors will be transferred to the future cheese.
5. Milk should not be frozen - this is especially important in winter.
6. And no water! This is exactly what many unscrupulous farmers do.

Speaking about choosing store-bought milk for cheese, we pay attention to the following nuances:

1. We give preference to a product enclosed in light-proof packaging - it preserves vitamins longer.
2. We check the tightness of the packaging. Violation of the integrity of the container is a sign of staleness of the product.
3. Be sure, we repeat, be sure to look at the date of manufacture and shelf life.
4. Well, you shouldn’t buy a product if there is no label on it or it is in a foreign language.

Bottom line

To summarize all of the above, I would like to say the following:

1. There are several types of milk and there are many differences between them. Cheeses are made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep and other artiodactyls. But as for the type of heat treatment, not all categories are suitable for cheese making.
2. If you choose between pasteurized and ultra-pasteurized milk, then, of course, pasteurized is the priority. It contains more protein and nutrients.
3. However, natural milk is considered the most suitable option - it contains the maximum amount of nutrients, vitamins and protein. But here it is worth understanding that, unlike pasteurized milk, natural milk is not devoid of pathogenic microflora, which means it can be dangerous. However, it is possible to pasteurize natural milk yourself by heating it to a temperature of 75°C.
4. When choosing milk to make homemade cheese, give preference to high-quality, proven products. If it is natural milk, then it should be fresh, undiluted and aromatic. When store-bought pasteurized products are used as raw materials, be sure to check the expiration dates and the tightness of the packaging.

Choose only high-quality raw materials, and then the cheese will turn out tasty and of high quality!