Where is milk homogenized

Homogenization is a process that gives milk its rich, white color and smooth texture. Milk that has not been homogenized contains a layer of cream that rises to the top of a glass. Before the homogenization process was used, milk was shaken or mixed to achieve consistency in its look and taste.

Then, in the late 19th century , commercial homogenization began. For effective pasteurization, milk can be heated up to degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, but this method isn't very common. More common is heating milk up to at least This method will keep milk fresh for two to three weeks. This processing results in a shelf life that can extend up to nine months. Pasteurization does not kill all micro-organisms in milk, but is intended to kill some bacteria and make some enzymes inactive.

Raw milk enthusiasts , on the other hand, tout Vitamin C as a benefit of unpasteurized milk, which they claim is more nutritious and contains no additives. The FDA and CDC warn against the dangers of unpasteurized milk and in some states, selling it directly to consumers is illegal. Other states allow the sale of unpasteurized milk directly to consumers, but could have strict laws for distributing the item across states lines.

Homogenization is an entirely separate process that occurs after pasteurization in most cases. The purpose of homogenization is to break down fat molecules in milk so that they resist separation. Without homogenization, fat molecules in milk will rise to the top and form a layer of cream. Homogenizing milk prevents this separation from occurring by breaking the molecules down to such a small size that they remain suspended evenly throughout the milk instead of rising to the top.

Homogenization is a mechanical process and doesn't involved any additives. Like pasteurization, arguments exist for and against it. It's advantageous for large-scale dairy farms to homogenize milk because the process allows them to mix milk from different herds without issue. Forcing the milk through the gap causes disruption of the fat globules into much smaller ones.

The now much smaller fat globules are dispersed in the water as they both pass through the homogenizing device; however, the fat globules have a tendency to cluster after this first stage of homogenization. To avoid clustering completely, a second stage of homogenization that complements the first can be added.

Applications Beverage Dairy Prepared food Ice cream. Subscribe Contact sales. Search Results. Subscribe Contact Sales. The basic workings of milk homogenization. How it works When homogenizing milk, you feed high quantities of the product through a really small gap between two pieces of steel called a homogenizing device at high velocity.