The journey of milk
How milk travels from a cow on the pasture to the buyer's fridge: feeding, milking, cooling, transport, processing at the dairy, bottling, warehouse and shop.
- πΏ Grass β The main summer feed. Feed shapes the taste and composition of milk.
- π Pasture β A meadow where the herd grazes.
- π Grazing β The herd grazes on pasture.
- π Cow β The world's main source of milk: β83% of global milk output (FAO, 2010). Dairy breeds give 20β40 L a day.
- π Milking β 2β3 times a day, by hand or by machine.
- π Filtration β Removing debris right after milking.
- βοΈ Cooling β To +4 Β°C to stop bacterial growth.
- βοΈ Bulk milk cooler β A farm tank that chills milk to +4 Β°C within 2 hours of milking.
- π Milk tanker β An insulated tanker for transporting raw milk.
- π Raw milk transport β Farm β dairy plant by milk tanker, usually within a day.
- π Milk reception β The plant receives the milk and takes samples.
- β Quality control β Fat, protein, bacteria, antibiotics, acidity.
- π Separation β Splitting into cream and skimmed milk.
- π Standardization β Fat content is adjusted to 1.5 / 2.5 / 3.2%.
- π Homogenization β Breaking up fat globules so the cream doesn't separate.
- π‘οΈ Pasteurization β 72β76 Β°C for 15β20 seconds: kills pathogens; keeps ~5β10 days chilled.
- π Filling β Packing into containers.
- π·οΈ Labelling β Date, expiry date, ingredients, batch code.
- π¦ Warehouse β Storage of finished products before dispatch.
- π Distribution β Plant β warehouse β distribution center β store.
- π¦ Distribution center β A retail chain's large warehouse from which goods are delivered to stores.
- πͺ Shop β The point of sale, where milk sits in a chilled display.
- π Delivery β From the store or straight to the shopper's home.
- π Shopper β The end point of the chain: picks milk off the shelf.
- π§ Refrigerator β Home storage of milk: no warmer than +4 Β°C.
Themes
π₯Types of milkFrom cow to reindeer: composition, benefits, valueπ§Cheeses of the worldParmesan, feta, bryndza, sulguni and moreπ₯£Fermented milk productsKefir, yogurt, kumis, matsoni, skyrπDairy traditionsRegions, peoples and their dairy productsπDairy animalsWhich animals are milked and how their milk differsπThe journey of milkFrom pasture to shop β step by stepβ€οΈMilk and healthCalcium, lactose, allergy, benefits and risksπ·JobsWho works with milkπΊοΈMap of traditionsWorld regions, peoples and their products on a mapβοΈComparisonsKefir or yogurt, sour cream or cream, and moreπ³RecipesCottage cheese, yogurt, ghee, paneer, butter β at homeπHistory of milkFrom domestication to Tetra Pak