Have you noticed the increase of options in the milk case lately? It seems like buying milk has become as sophisticated as ordering a latte or deciphering a wine bottle label!
I would like an organic, Non-GMO, A2, Grade A, VAT pasteurized, ultra filtered, whole milk, non-homogenized, with cream on top, please
What does all of this even mean?
This guide serves as a primer on milk, grading, processing and the myriad of options.
Grade A vs Grade B
There are two grades of milk in the United States. Raw milk is graded based on the farm it is produced at. In other words, the grade of the milk indicates the grade of the farm it came from. Grade A milk comes from a Grade A rated farm, while Grade B milk comes from Grade B farms.
Both Grade A and Grade B milk is safe for consumption. Both are inspected, tested, and handled in a safe manner. Grade A milk comes from a farm that has stricter farm premises requirements, more sanitary conditions, more rigorous testing requirements and more frequent inspections than a Grade B farm.
The Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinances are the FDA standards that guide Grade A milk farmers, if you need some night time reading. Keep in mind that states also have their own additional regulations - these vary state to state.
Usage
Grade A: Also called a "fluid grade milk" is what is allowed in fluid milk beverages, yogurt, sour cream. ~95%+ of milk produced in the USA today is Grade A.
Grade B: A manufacturing grade milk that is used in cheese, butter, milk powders, and ice cream. Most "manufacturing grade" dairy products are made with Grade A milk, however Grade B can only be used in manufacturing grade dairy products.
Farm Premises and Handling:
Grade A Farm: Inspected every 90 days, milk must be cooled to 45°F within 2 hours of milking, water well cannot be near milk barn
Grade B Farm: Inspected every 12 months, milk must be cooled to 45°F within 4 hours of milking, water well may be closer to milk barn, higher bacterial are counts allowed prior to pasteurization. Milk will be further processed in cheese and other products.
Homogenized vs Non-Homogenized
"The cream rises to the top." Initially milk is an emulsion - with milk fat particles suspended in liquid. After it has sat for a short while after milking, gravity will cause the milk fat, which is the largest and lightest particle in milk, rises to the top.
Homogenized milk has had a machine that uses pressure, called a "homogenizer" break up the milk fat particles into smaller sizes so that it disperses better throughout the milk. Milk that has been homogenized looks whiter in appearance because the smaller milk fat globules reflect more light, giving it a whiter appearance.
Non-Homogenized milk has not been run through a homogenizer and still has its large milk fat globules intact. The larger milk fat globules give it a more creamy or yellow appearance. When you purchase non-homogenized milk, you will notice that there is cream in the top of its container. You can shake it up to disperse it, or you can take a spoon and enjoy the cream off the top!
Raw Milk vs Pasteurized
Raw milk has not been heat treated to destroy pathogens. If you are buying raw milk, you will want to make sure the farm you purchase from is clean, and has hygienic milking practices. It is legal to buy raw milk in all 50 states. Each state has it own set of regulations and standards.
Pasteurization is the heat treatment of raw milk to destroy certain bacterial, pathogens. There are a few types of pasteurization:
HTST Continuous: Also known as high temperature short time (HTST) Raw milk is heated to 161°F and held there for 15 seconds in a continuous system. Most common in large dairy plants.
LTLT Batch: Low temperature long time. Raw milk is heated to 145°F for 30 minutes in a stainless steel vessel. Common in small dairy plants.
UHT Aseptic: Ultra high temperature. A fairly new process where raw milk is heated to 280°F for 2 seconds, and then immediately packaged in a sterile environment with specialty packaging that prevents air from entering it. The end product is milk that is sterile.
How would a milk drinker know the difference? If your milk has a shelf life of over 30 days, it is likely HTST. If it has a shorter expiration date, it is probably VAT pasteurized. Increasingly more artisan milk products will have "VAT pasteurized" displayed on the labels. If the milk is shelf stable, it has been sterilized using the aseptic process. Some medical patients and those with vulnerable immune systems will require aseptic/sterilized milk.
Non-Fat, Low Fat, Whole Milk & Cream
Milk is about 87.5% water and 12.5% solids (3.7% fat + 8.8% protein, lactose, minerals, nitrogen)
Here are some legal definitions:
Milk: Has no less than 3.25% milk fat and no more than 8.25% milk fat.
Non-Fat: The milk fat is removed so it is fat-free.
2% Milk: Some milk fat has been removed, reducing the volume to 2%
Whole Milk: Has a milk fat content of at least 3.25%, but no more than 8.25%
Cream: The high fat portion of milk that is separated from milk, and often times adjusted with skim or whole milk. The end product may have no less than 18% milkfat.
Light Cream: Has no less than 18% milkfat, and no more than 30%
Light Whipping Cream: has no less than 30% milkfat, and no more than 36%
Heavy Cream/Heavy Whipping Cream: has no less than 36% milkfat
Sour Cream: Has lactic-acid producing bacteria and no less than 18% milkfat
A1/A2
A1 was my 6th grade camp cabin number. It's amazing the things we remember. In the world of dairy, however, A1 and A2 refers to the types of casein protein in milk.
Milk has two types of protein: casein and whey.
Historically, A2 was the casein protein that cows produced. However, as the genetics evolved in European cattle to A1 protein, and then those cows were bred, it introduced A1 protein into cows worldwide.
A2 milk is simply milk that is absent of the A1 protein.
Some believe that the A1 protein is what causes the inflammatory response in people, and that A2 may be easier to digest.
Ultra-Filtered
Another dairy term appearing in the milk case is ultra-filtered.
Whether you miss the days when there were just three flavors of ice cream, or you like having 51 flavors to choose from, understanding the milk label will help you to make a more informed choice.
