Dairy products that we consume daily are milk products in variety. As mentioned in the milk and story, milk is mostly understood mammals’ milk or cow’s milk mainly although there is different milk types existed. So dairy products in which many milk products are from cow milk source mainly. Beside you may find out different milk products processed from milk of goats, sheep, even horse, camels or yaks and domestic buffaloes. The varieties in milk products are base on the condition of climate, geography and other features such as traditional milk production, raising cattle and agricultural development etc.
However, there are other milk products mentioned but they are not milk truly by the same status of pale or white liquid and the rich of nutrients from them. Milk but not milk, the milks in this case are the milk products from botany such as coconut milks, soy milk, almond milk or synthesized products from the laboratory with the ingredients like in milk.
Milk production in the world today
Milk production is happened in many countries in the world. For some countries, milk production is one of the main parts of agricultural development, but it is not for some places. So you may see the different scales in milk production in the world with the production as the households or companies or big groups. The different scales or main part or not depends on the appropriate climate, geography where the mammal are feed surely and the technology which ensure the processing completely.
Most of the countries attached with the milk production are located in the Mediterranean, Near East, India, and the savannah regions in West Africa. And in these places, India is one of the top countries produce milk with 18% of global milk. After India, there are some countries such as USA, Brazil and Pakistan. Beside, China is also in the list of the top of countries producing milk although this country has no the tradition of milk production like other countries.
Dairy products and main products
Although there are many areas and countries where produce milk with the variety of milk products. They may make you easily to be confused but there are the main dairy products for using commonly. It is arranged the main milk products base on the main ways such as the percentage of fat in milk products, demand and processing.
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Percentage of fat in milk
There are the differences of fat percentage in milk but the four main levels popularly with the certain standard:
- 3.5% of fat in whole milk
- 2% of fat in reduced fat milk
- 1% of fat in low fat milk
- Not more than 0.2% of fat in fat free milk.
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Demand and processing
Milk products or dairy products are very rich in type for demand. However it is shorten in the list with main types on demand such as milk liquid and separation of milk components.
- Milk liquid: There are pasteurized milk and sterilized milk. They are popular milk products that many people consume daily. For these types, it is the heat treatment which is used in the processing. The original milk is processed in several steps related to different level of heat. It is also tested for fat content, tested bacterial activity, filtered; pasteurized or sterilized and then filled with demand packaging standard, cooled and stored. Milk liquid may be whole milk or not.
- Separation of milk components: From the original milk, there are different types of products processed such as cream; butter or ghee; fermented dairy products such as yoghurt or curd, cheese, butter milk, soured milk, kefir; powdered milk; condensed milk and ice cream.
Milk Products and your health
Generally milk products give us the benefits with more than essential nutrients contained such as protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Folate, Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc etc.
However, it is said that for the people who have lactose intolerance or stay in the status of milk allergy, milk products are not the good source for them.
Beside the milk products with high fat percentage may cause the increasing cholesterol or the risk of heart disease. So the consuming of milk products in some types is advised to considerate carefully.
