Choosing Dairy Foods Preparing Dairy Foods

Nutrients in Milk High in protein, riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and zinc Recommended 2-3 servings a day 1 cup milk or yogurt 2 oz cheese

Types of Milk Whole: 8g fat per 8 oz serving Reduced fat: 5g fat per 8oz serving Low-fat: 2.5 g fat per 8oz serving Fat-free milk: trace of fat Fresh whole milk contains 87% water and 13% solids, some is milk fat The fat-free solids contain protein, vitamins, minerals, and lactose

Continued Buttermilk-tart, buttery flavor, smooth thick texture Has been cultured- fermented by bacteria added after pasteurization Yogurt and sour cream are cultured Kefir- cultured beverage similar to yogurt in flavor Middle Eastern made from camel’s milk

Continued Fat-free dry milk- powdered form, can be reconstituted with water, must be refrigerated after being reconstituted, can be added to recipes to increase nutrients Evaporated milk- half the amount of water as regular milk Sweetened condensed milk- concentrated, sweetened, used for candy and desserts Lactose-free or reduced lactose- does not contain the milk sugar lactose for people who are lactose intolerant

Processing of Fluid Milk Milk must be pasteurized before it can be sold Pasteurized- heat-treated to kill enzymes and harmful bacteria Enzymes can make milk spoil Homogenization- fat is broken down and evenly distributed in milk Mostly all of the vitamin A is removed and by law it must be added back in Manufacturers also add in vitamin D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIbVwE5zb1Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0rCEBPgo5Q

Other Dairy Foods Yogurt- made by adding harmless bacteria culture to milk Custard-like with tangy flavor Higher in calcium than milk One cup fat free yogurt contains 452 mg of calcium One cup fat-free milk has 302 mg of calcium http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kecBi27dhjw

Cheeses Made from milk curds with the whey drained off Ripened (aged) cheese- made from curds where bacteria, mold, yeast, or a combination have been added Aged under controlled conditions Can be stored for a long time Texture ranges from soft to very hard

Continued Specialty cheeses are created by combining several ripened cheeses by either cold or hot processing methods Flavorings and seasonings are added Pasteurized process cheese- ripened cheeses processed with heat American, cheese spread, cheese food http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnw-XwCctYY

Cream Liquid separated from milk Heavy cream whips easily Light cream is used in coffee Half and half- mixture of cream and milk Sour cream is made by adding lactic acid to cream

Butter Made from milk, cream, or combination High in saturated fat and cholesterol

Frozen Dairy Desserts Ice cream- whipped frozen mixture of milk, cream, sweeteners, flavorings Frozen yogurt- similar to ice cream but yogurt cultures are added Sherbet- made from milk fat, sugar, water, flavoring Has less fat and more sugar than ice cream

Buying and Storing Dairy Foods Most products can be safely used for up to 5 days after the expiration date Tightly close milk and cream containers because they can pick up aromas Store milk away from light; it destroys the riboflavin in milk Keep cheese tightly wrapped Refrigerate butter up to several weeks Store ice cream tightly covered in the freezer

Preparing Dairy Foods

Cooking with Milk Milk must be cooked carefully at moderate temperatures for a limited time Problems that can arise when cooking milk: Protein solids clump together and form a skin on the surface Makes milk bubble up and boil over To prevent a skin from forming, cover the pan or stir regularly, wire whisk works well

Continued Scorching is when milk solids fall, stick, and burn at the bottom of the pan Use low heat and continue to stir Using a double boiler helps prevent scorching When milk separates into the curds and whey, it is called curdling Can happen when heated with acidic foods, salt, or high heat Use low temperatures, stir, or combine with acidic foods gradually

Continued Some recipes call for scalded milk, which means it is heated just below boiling Cook until small bubbles appear around the sides of the pan

Using Yogurt in Recipes Nutrients in yogurt stay the same if it is cooked, baked, or frozen Whey can separate from the yogurt, so stir it back in before using it It will curdle if overcooked

Cooking Cheese Heat cheese just long enough to melt it, overcooked cheese can be stringy and tough Speed up cooking time by shredding, grating, or cut into small pieces Cheese will be more hot than other foods when microwaved because the fat attracts the microwaves To lower fat, use sharp flavored varieties because you will not have to add as much