Reasons for homogenising milk

Even before we were born, our mother’s body is being prepared for the needed colostrum for us to get the required amount of breast milk essential for our well-being and survival. While other parents prefer bottle-feeding of infants, powdered milk is discouraged from being used, especially in government or public hospitals in the country.

From birth to adulthood, we have become dependent on milk not only as a beverage for drinking but also for cooking and preparing sumptuous food and mouth-watering desserts. As much as we are familiar with condensed and evaporated milk, we also go for full cream and nonfat milk in our diet. The only uncommon knowledge that we will reveal in this article is why are milk products homogenised? What are the steps or processes in homogenising and how does milk taste after pasteurisation and homogenisation? Answers to these queries and concerns will follow below.

Homogenised milk products are impossible without pasteurisation

To come up with quality cow’s milk, there should be no shortcuts allowed in milk production and manufacturing. Homogenisation is only possible right after careful and meticulous pasteurisation; thus, to make this article more informative and educational, we have no choice but to read throughout the article for better understanding and comprehension of the topic on hand.

Three of the most common forms of pasteurisation involves heating up milk in a matter or difference of minutes and seconds respectively, whose objectives are to preserve taste and prolong milk or shelf life. Pasteurisation simply involves the application of heat and immediately cooling it down to get rid of certain, harmful bacteria. To understand better the following processes, here’s something that clears all doubts:

• Effective pasteurisation – milk is heated up at a hundred and forty-five degrees Fahrenheit for thirty minutes
• Common or quick pasteurisation – also known as high-temperature pasteurisation, where milk is heated up to a hundred and sixty-one point six Fahrenheit for fifteen seconds. Milk that underwent this process will be good for about a couple of weeks to three.
• Ultra-heat pasteurisation – milk is cooked at 280 degrees Fahrenheit for two seconds and will guarantee a shelf life of up to nine months.

Objectives of milk homogenisation

As mentioned earlier, homogenisation only happens right after pasteurisation. The main goal is for fat molecules to be broken down into smaller or tiny pieces in order to withstand or resist molecular separation. In the absence of homogenisation, milk’s fat molecules will soar up the top layer of milk and form the cream layer. Homogenisation hinders this process, and when beverage molecules are broken down into tiny and smaller pieces, they remain evenly throughout the milk, and is discouraged from going on top of the layer.