Cold vs. Warm Milk

 In the United States, milk is sold and stored cold, but America is a bit of an outlier.

It comes down to different pasteurization methods. In the US and Canada, milk manufacturers make use of high-temperature short-time pasteurization, or HTST. Able to kill bacteria in large batches, HTST is efficient, but results in milk that expires relatively quickly - about seven to 10 days after opening. That is because the temperature used (about 161°F for 15 seconds) is enough to kill most bacteria, but some will proliferate if the milk hangs around long enough.

In Europe and other parts of the world, another technique called ultra-heat-treated pasteurization, or UHT, is used. Milk is exposed to higher temperatures of 284°F for three seconds, decimating virtually all the bacteria and making it shelf-stable for about six months if left unopened. Once opened, it has to be refrigerated. Because it is “cooked” at high heat and burns off some of the sugar, UHT milk also has a slightly different flavor.  

Pasteurization is named after Louis Pasteur, a French scientist in the 1860s who realized heating beer could kill bacteria. Decades later, German agricultural chemist Franz von Soxhlet applied the principle of high heat to milk, since dairy products had a nasty habit of harboring contaminants that could cause diphtheria or tuberculosis. HTST and UHT methods followed, and Europe picked up on the promise of UHT producing milk that would not spoil quickly.

The idea of purchasing milk in the middle of a grocery store, unrefrigerated, is something that does not fit with US food storage habits. While UHT milk is still sold in the US, it is primarily for portable cartons thrown in lunchboxes or for people who want to have milk on hand for a backpack.

Whole Fat Milk

Contrary to current publicity, children who drink whole milk are leaner and have higher vitamin D levels than those who drink low-fat or skim milk, according to a recent study at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
Another interesting fact to back up that study, childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years while consumption of whole milk has halved over the same period.

Incidentally, whole milk has just 3.25 per cent fat content vs. 2 percent and 1 percent milk.

Expired Milk Dates

That date on the carton of milk could mean very different things depending on what US state you are in. Some states require a sell by date, which indicates the last day a store can legally sell the milk. It is calculated to give the consumer a reasonable amount of time to enjoy. Other states have a use by date that indicates the date milk is believed to be at peak flavor. For instance, milk cartons in Montana are labeled with a sell by date 12 days after pasteurization, Washington requires a use by date that is 21 days after pasteurization.

While the pasteurization of milk kills most of the harmful bacteria, precautions always need to be made by the consumer to keep the milk from going bad. One way to keep milk as fresh as possible is to keep it on a shelf, never in the door of your fridge, where temperature fluctuates the most.

Depending on whom you ask, the refrigerator temperature should be 34-38 °F or 38-40 °F. Warmer temperatures give bacteria more of a chance to develop.

One rule of thumb is that if you are properly refrigerating it, whole milk's expiration date is five days after the "sell-by" date. If it is non-fat, skim, or reduced fat, you will have a bit less time. Ultra pasteurized milk has a longer shelf life than other types of milk and can be left in the pantry until opened, and then it must be chilled.

Top Twelve Ice Cream Facts

Since July is National Ice Cream Month (created by Ronald Reagan in 1984) and (third Sunday in July (July 21) is National Ice Cream Day), thought I would dish up a few frozen goodie facts.

Ice cream has the following composition by weight:  greater than 10% milkfat by legal definition, 9 to 12% milk solids-not-fat, 12 to 16% sweeteners, 0.2 to 0.5% stabilizers and emulsifiers, 55% to 64% water which comes from the milk or other ingredients.

The history of ice cream dates back to the second century B.C.
The ice cream cone was invented in 1896 with a patent being issued in 1903 to Italo Marchiony.

The United States is the top ice cream consuming country in the world.

It takes 12 lbs. of milk to make a gallon of ice cream.

Vanilla is the number one selling flavor at 27.8%, followed by chocolate 14.3%, strawberry 3.3% (hot dog flavored ice-cream is made by Udder Delights in Arizona).

Chocolate syrup is the favorite topping to put on ice cream.

The major ingredient in ice cream is air.

Depending on conditions of storage, ice cream might last one year, or it might be two weeks or less.

PETA urged Ben & Jerry's to replace cow's milk in its ice cream with human breast milk.

In the late 19th century, America's soda shops bowed to pressure from local churches to not serve ice cream sodas on Sundays. They removed the soda from the recipe and invented the ice cream sundae.

Ice cream is made from milk fat and milk solids. Sorbet is non-dairy and usually high in sugar. Yogurt is usually tart with low or no fat milk substitute. Custard is rich and smooth with lots of egg in it.

An average dairy cow can produce enough milk in her lifetime to make a little over 9,000 gallons of ice cream.

July is also National Grilling Month.

Cheesy Facts

The root of the English word cheese comes from the Latin caseus, which also gives us the word casein, the milk protein that is the basis of cheese. In Old English, caseus was c?ese or c?se, which became chese in Middle English, finally becoming cheese in Modern English. Caseus is also the root word for cheese in other languages, including queso in Spanish, kaas in Dutch, käse in German, and queijo in Portuguese. Caseus Formatus, or molded (formed) cheese, brought us formaticum, the term the Romans employed for the hard cheese used as supplies for the legionaries. From this root comes the French fromage and the Italian formaggio.

Cheese consumption predates recorded history, with scholars believing it began as early as 8000 BC, when sheep were first domesticated, to as late as 3000 BC. It is believed to have been discovered in the Middle East or by nomadic Turkic tribes in Central Asia, where foodstuffs were commonly stored in animal hides or organs for transport. Milk stored in animal stomachs would have separated into curds and whey by movement and the rennet and bacteria naturally present.

monks were responsible for inventing some of the classic varieties of cheese we know today. According to the British Cheese Board, Britain has approximately 700 distinct local cheeses. It is thought that France and Italy have perhaps 400 each. The varying flavors, colors, and textures of cheese come from many factors, including the type of milk used, the type of bacteria or acids used to separate the milk, the length of aging, and the addition of other flavorings or mold.

The United States is the top producer of cheese in the world, with Wisconsin and California leading the states in production. Although the US produces the most cheese, Greece and France lead the pack in cheese consumption per capita, averaging 27.3 and 24.0 kilograms per person in 2003 respectively. In the same year, the average US citizen consumed around 14.1 kg, although cheese consumption in the US has tripled since 1970 and is continuing to increase.

Why Milk is White

Milk is 87% water and 13% solids. It consists of about 5 percent lactose, 3.7 percent fats and 3.5 percent proteins. Casein is the most common protein and makes up about 80% of the proteins in milk. Also, casein's molecular structure is very similar to that of gluten. This is why many gluten free diets also are casein-free. It is the combination of casein and fats that give milk its color.

The color white results from all the wavelengths of visible light being reflected into the eye. Casein and certain fats reflect wide ranges of wavelengths, causing milk to appear white. Fat free milk appears a bit bluish due to reduction of fats reflecting light.

The pasteurization process that kills microorganisms in milk, also destroys the Vitamin C content, as well as significantly diminishes various other health benefits of milk.

Three Types of Burn Relief

Milk is an excellent compress for minor burns. Soak the burned area in milk for about 15 minutes or apply a milk-soaked cloth to the area. Whole milk's fat content soothes burns and promotes healing. Of course, rinse your skin and the cloth in cool water after or the milk will begin to stink.

A less known option is to use Preparation H, the hemorrhoid treatment cream for treating minor burns. Pat it on the area and you can reduce a few days off the healing time. This is because it contains a yeast derivative that speeds healing.

The most common option is to use cold water to soothe a new burn. However, using ice water can risk making the burn worse, because extreme cold can kill just as many skin cells as extreme heat. Cool water will stop the burning from spreading through your tissues and will act as a temporary painkiller.

Food Myth Debunked

The long held myth that milk is the best thing for healthy bones is not true. Many confuse "dairy" with "calcium," and assume they are the same thing. Dairy products contain calcium, but so do dark-leafy greens. Milk is fortified with vitamin D, but bone health goes beyond calcium and vitamin D.

Vitamin K is important for bone health (dark leafy greens have it, dairy doesn't). Magnesium, also missing in dairy products, plays an important role in bone health.

Milk isn't the only, or even the best, source of calcium. If you're looking for good sources of calcium and Vitamin D, consider dark greens, mustard greens, kale, and bok choy instead of milk. Toss in some almonds, cashews, and potatoes for magnesium.

Food Tidbits

Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.
    The onion is named after a Latin word meaning large pearl.
    Potato chips were invented by a North American Indian, George Crum.
    During a lifetime the average person eats about 35 tons of food.
    Within 2 hours of standing in daylight, milk loses between half and two-thirds of its vitamin B content.
    There are about 100,000 bacteria in one liter of drinking water.
    Bakers used to be fined if their loaves were under weight, so they used to add an extra loaf to every dozen, just in case -- hence, the expression "baker's dozen.
    In France, people eat approximately 500,000,000 snails per year.
    It has been traditional to serve fish with a slice of lemon since olden times, when people believed that the fruit's juice would dissolve any bones accidentally swallowed.
    The first breakfast cereal ever produced was Shredded Wheat.
    Reindeer like to eat bananas.
    Maine is the toothpick capital of the world.
    Every year, kids in North America spend close to half a billion dollars on chewing gum.
    American's eat about 18 billion hot dogs a year.
    The oldest piece of chewing gum is 9,000 years old.
    The man who played the voice (Mel Blanc) of Bugs Bunny was allergic to carrots.
    Apples are more effective at keeping people awake in the morning than caffeine.
    Every time you lick a stamp you gain 1/10 of a calorie.
    Yams have 10 times more vitamin C than sweet potatoes.

Milking It

For years I have been buying milk in half gallons. That way, I use it up before it goes bad. Last year I noticed the the gallon size was a few cents cheaper than a half gallon. The spread continued to increase. Last week, the gallon size was less than half the cost of the half gallon. This means I can buy a gallon and throw half of it away and still come out ahead (not that I plan to do it.) Not sure what has prompted this change, but is something to watch for the next time you are shopping. The store is my local Walmart. A trick my mother taught me is to put the remaining milk in the freezer if you are planning to be away for a while. Freezing does not harm the milk or make it taste any different. However, it may take 24 hours or more to completely thaw.

Top Six Things Found in College Refrigerators

Beer, part of a pita sandwich, ranch dressing, text books, expired milk, hard liquor. I think the books come from not having much beer or liquor remaining.