288718 Sat Mar 16 15:17:36 -0800 2002 11 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1559204 Does any one know the difference between homogenized and un-homogenized milk. WHat does that have to do with pasteurization? Thanks Sat Mar 16 15:17:36 -0800 2002 0 kidhendry 1 1559205 This is my simple-minded take on homogenized vs. unhomogenized, and I wish I knew why it's even done. Anyway, unhomogenized milk separates, with the fat rising, hence the expression "top milk", which referred to the rich creamy milk at the top of the bottle. When it's homogenized the globules of fat are somehow broken down (probably by machine) so they get distributed all through the milk, like when you make an emulsion by whisking oil and vinegar together. I'm wondering if the heating of milk to pasteurize it necessitates homogenization. I drink skimmed milk, but it would be great to get unhomogenized milk, skim off the cream for special use, and then use the remaining skimmed milk as usual. It seems I have as many questions, as answers, for you. Pat Sat Mar 16 15:45:00 -0800 2002 1559204 0 Pat Hammond 2 1559206 Pat, homogenization is not a by-product of pasteurization. For example, Ronneybrook offers pasteurized, but unhomogenized, milk. As a child, I can remember my uncle skimming off the cream for his morning oatmeal (which, of course, he had just before his dropped egg). Pat G. Sat Mar 16 15:55:34 -0800 2002 1559205 0 Pat Goldberg 3 1559207 Hi Pat, I'm glad to hear that. Must find some Ronneybrook milk. My Maine grandfather had a small dairy operation, and my mother would send me up the hill to his farm for a quart of milk every few days. On the way back, I'd hide behind a tree, pull out the cardboard stopper, and drink all the cream. My mother thought her in-laws were cheating her of the cream, until she followed me one day. I was busted! pat Sat Mar 16 16:08:03 -0800 2002 1559206 0 Pat Hammond 4 1559260 Here are some places that sell Ronnybrook. And they have a shop in the Grand Central Market at GCT. (And a store in...Chelsea Market, of course!) Link: http://ronnybrook.com/stores/index.html Sun Mar 17 21:24:35 -0800 2002 1559207 0 Caitlin McGrath 4 1559268 In a similar vein, I remember being sent to the local dairy farm on my bike for a pint of cream, and being admonished to avoid bouncing it too much, lest it turn to butter! The local supermarket stuff is pretty dreary in comparison. Pat G. Mon Mar 18 07:42:00 -0800 2002 1559207 0 Pat Goldberg 3 1559208 One more thing, Pat: What's the point of homogenization, anyway? Sat Mar 16 16:13:14 -0800 2002 1559206 0 Pat Hammond 4 1559213 Here's what I found: There's nothing quite as nice as a cold glass of milk with your favorite cookie (Oreo, chocolate chip- you choose). While consuming this great "meal", you happen to read the container of milk. The milk is homogenized - huh? What the heck does this mean? First, lets discuss what milk is - obviously it's the opaque white (or yellowish) liquid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals. The milk consists of fat globules suspended in a nutrient solution. These globules of butterfat will separate easily from the milk - they float to the top of the solution, as what we commonly call cream. The left over liquid is skim milk. Let's suppose that you don't want to separate the milk from the butterfat. After all, milk that separates into different layers is unappetizing. Your solution - shoot the milk through a really fine nozzle to break up the fat globules. As a result, the butterfat does not rise to the top and the milk is creamier - this process is called homogenization. This nifty process was first patented by Auguste Gaulin in 1899, but it was a real tough sell. Why, you may ask? Here's why: Consumers were used to the cream line at the top of the bottle of milk. What to do? What to do? The McDonald Dairy in Flint, Michigan had a unique solution way back in 1932. If they could convince the people that homogenized milk was better for the digestive system, then they could sell lots of homogenized milk. Here's how they did it: They hired a bunch of guys. They split them into two separate groups. One group consumed homogenized milk and the other consumed non-homogenized milk. After a short period of time, they vomited the milk back up! The salesmen then carried the jars of vomit around with them to show consumers that homogenized milk was best. It's hard to imagine how they actually did this. I can see it now: Knock, knock. The lady of the home comes to the door to see who it was. The salesman responds with some line like "Hi! I'd like to show you some jars of vomit to prove to you that homogenized milk is best." I'm sure she welcomed him with open arms. Yuk! Should we assume that the jars of vomit worked? After all, we are still drinking homogenized milk today. Useless? Useful? I’ll leave that for you to decide. Link: http://home.nycap.rr.com/useless/milk/ Sun Mar 17 01:08:50 -0800 2002 1559208 0 Lori 5 1559217 How interesting and completely bizarre! My first grade teacher was one of the McDonald's of McDonald's Dairy, and we visited the farm/dairy operations, but we never heard that story! Too bad, it's just the sort of gross thing most first graders would love. What a great job, having to show vomit to people door to door, and carry vomit samples around with you all day. I may not be drinking milk for a few days, until that image fades from my mind a bit. Sun Mar 17 01:59:36 -0800 2002 1559213 0 Persephone 4 1559222 Keeps you from having to shake the bottle. Sun Mar 17 06:06:31 -0800 2002 1559208 0 Pat Goldberg 5 1559223 That's what I thought. Sun Mar 17 07:13:14 -0800 2002 1559222 0 pat Hammond 1 1559225 In England it has become very difficult to buy unhomogenized milk. The dairies claim that the public doesn't like the messy edge at the milk line. In fact, like all such changes, the flavor is subtly altered. Anyone who has recently had the experience of tasting whole unpasteurized milk knows how far we have come from the real thing. It has always amazed me that the French were pursuaded to accept UHT (long life sterilized) milk as the norm. "Fresh" milk is only now beginning to stage a comeback in the supermarkets. Sun Mar 17 10:19:46 -0800 2002 1559204 0 John Whiting