Milk is one of the most popular products on the Russian table. It supplies the body with essential proteins, calcium, vitamins and minerals that are quickly absorbed and well tolerated by the gastrointestinal tract. Many people consume pasteurized milk - how does it differ from regular milk and what is its benefit?
Pasteurization
Since fresh milk contains not only beneficial, but also pathogenic bacteria, the milk is subjected to pasteurization, which neutralizes them and prolongs the shelf life of the product. Milk is pasteurized using special heat treatment technologies, which were invented in the second half of the 19th century and have significantly improved since then. Milk is pasteurized by heating to 65 degrees for half an hour, and then cooled naturally in a sterilized package.
In addition to pasteurization, ultra-pasteurization of milk is also often used, which allows milk to be stored for up to two months.
When pasteurizing milk, all pathogenic bacteria die in it, while lactic acid bacteria are completely preserved. Such milk can be stored for sixty hours and used for fermentation and home-made yoghurts, curdled milk and cottage cheese. Pasteurized milk is made exclusively from fresh dairy products that withstand aggressive heat treatment and do not curdle in the process. Other, previously processed milk is not suitable for this purpose.
Differences in pasteurized milk
Pasteurized milk is ideal for those who cannot drink fresh steamed milk. It contains more vitamins, bacteria and nutrients than other types of milk. In addition, preservatives are not added to pasteurized milk, which extend its shelf life. If left warm for several days without boiling, it will turn into yogurt. This is due to the presence of spores of live lactic acid bacteria in it, which are absent in sterilized milk.
To make delicious homemade curdled milk from pasteurized milk, you need to heat it, add a couple of tablespoons of live sour cream to it and wrap it for 8 hours.
When buying pasteurized milk, unlike raw milk, it does not need to be boiled, since factory pasteurization has already killed all pathogenic bacteria in it. However, if desired, milk can be warmed up before use, as it is less digestible when cold. Also, pasteurized milk is better for young children than UHT or sterilized dairy products - it contains all the natural beneficial microflora that helps the body to grow and develop.
