MILK-e-Bell

acteria and extends shelf life without significantly affecting nutritional value. It involves heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period, then rapidly cooling it. This ensures safety and preserves quality for consumption. WHY IS MILK HOMOGENIZED AND WHAT ARE ITS EFFECTS? Homogenization is used to standardize and disperse milk fat globules to improve the texture, appearance and taste of milk. During homogenization, milk is subjected to high pressure, but nothing is added or removed from the milk. Despite the fact that the milk preserves its nutritional value, some wonder about the impact of this process on milk digestibility and health. What is homogenization? Homogenization is a process used to mix and disperse milk fat globules in order to prevent milk from separating and give it a more homogeneous texture, hence the name of the process. Not to be confused with pasteurization, homogenization is a process that subjects the milk to high pressure to break up the fat globules.2 When the fat droplets become very small (less than 2 microns), they are covered by a membrane composed of lipids and proteins, as well as by casein micelles (particles formed from an aggregate of small molecules).2 This membrane prevents the fat from collecting at the surface of the milk and allows its permanent dispersion in a very fine emulsion.1,3 During homogenization, nothing is added or removed from the milk.2 In addition, only pasteurized milk can be homogenized because pasteurization denatures an enzyme that induces rancidity when pressure is applied.4 Therefore, raw milk is not homogenized. Why is milk homogenized? Homogenization creates a more uniform texture, a more pleasant flavour and a whiter colour.1 In addition, homogenization makes the milk creamy and prevents a layer of cream from forming in the milk, a quality that made homogenized milk popular with consumers as early as the 1920.1 This process also gives milk a longer shelf life, better foam ability and improved capabilities as a cooking ingredient.