Sour cream is a fermented milk product containing complete milk protein with essential amino acids for the body, milk sugars and easily digestible fats. Sour cream is rich in vitamins E, A, B2, B12, C, PP, calcium, iron and phosphorus. But this only applies to a quality product, so it is very important to know how to distinguish real sour cream from fake.
Signs of quality sour cream
Sour cream of the highest grade should not have foreign smells and tastes, as well as grains of protein and fat. The product that meets the standard has a uniform consistency, rather thick and glossy appearance. Sour cream of the first grade may have a less thick consistency than products of the premium grade.
In addition, a more sour taste and a lighter feed taste are possible.
Sour cream, which is made in accordance with GOST, contains only cream and a special sourdough. No other additives are allowed, only if this condition is met, the manufacturer has the right to write “sour cream” on the package. If the composition of the product contains any additives, such as stabilizers and emulsifiers, such packaging must have a name written that is consonant with the word "sour cream", for example, "sour cream product". If the manufacturer replaces animal fat with cheaper vegetable fat, then there will be a vegetable and dairy product in the package, if it completely replaces both fats and proteins, then the so-called fat product will turn out.
The quality of sour cream can also be evidenced by the shelf life and storage temperature. The more a product contains a variety of additives, the longer its shelf life will be - from 2 to 4 weeks with a recommended storage temperature of up to + 20 ° C. Natural and high-quality sour cream cannot be stored for more than 5-7 days with a storage temperature of +2 to + 6oC.
Counterfeit detection methods
To find out what is in the pack - sour cream or sour cream product, you can conduct 2 simple experiments. Add a drop of iodine to a spoonful of purchased sour cream. If the product is genuine and contains no herbal additives, its color will change slightly to light yellow. If the composition of sour cream contains components of vegetable origin, for example starch, which is usually added to obtain a thicker consistency, it will acquire a blue tint.
For the second experiment, add 1 tablespoon of sour cream to 1 glass of hot water and stir. If it completely dissolves, and the water turns uniformly white, then you are dealing with a quality product.
Stale sour cream will curdle, and the sediment at the bottom of the glass will indicate its low quality.
It is worth noting that it is not recommended to use sour cream for people suffering from stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers and gastritis with high acidity.
