How much cream is in a litre of milk?
Homogenized milk has become increasingly popular in the last number of decades. But before that, going back to the days of the milkman, milk was commonly non-homogenized (you were the lucky one if you got the cream on top!).
If milk has been homogenized, that means the fat particles have been broken down in size so they remain suspended in the milk. Without this process, the cream in the milk, being less dense, rises to the top as it settles out.
Since opening our Self-Serve Milk Dispenser in 2017, the milk we sell has been simply pasteurized. We keep it whole, meaning no cream is removed and the butterfat fluctuates naturally through the seasons. It's also non-homogenized so it will get that lovely cream top when left to settle. It's a delicious, simple product that folks love to fill up on at the farm.
We did a little visual test in January, when our milk fat tends to be on the higher side (4.8% at the time). It's hard to pick up on the camera, but you can just see a line where the cream top starts:
The process of cream separation takes longer at cold temperatures (this was after 4 days of settling in the fridge). Now, you can shake the cream back in before every use like we do or wait that few days to scoop off the delicious cream.
