Everything you need to know about milk and dairy products, the different steps involved in processing them, their diversity and health benefits. Also, practical information such as how to read food labels, make homemade dairy products,…Dairy Products website
All about how CNIEL serves the French dairy industry. The organization addresses a wide range of issues, from the dairy economy, international business and promotion, to technology and scientific research. Its work is aimed at helping dairy producers and processors to anticipate market developments and build a strong future.Cniel Infos website
The functional, nutritional and biological properties of milk ingredients explain why they are so popular and put to numerous uses, mainly in the food industry.
Milk ingredients are loaded with essential nutrients (amino acids, minerals, etc.) in a form that is easily absorbed by the body. They are used in various dietary and therapeutic contexts: low-calorie foods, sports nutrition, baby food, etc.
Milk ingredients have various physical features that are in great demand in food product manufacturing. In particular, they can act as:
Scientific and technological progress has enhanced the use of milk and milk proteins.
Milk ingredients, valuable for their protein content, make up a wide and varied offering, including milk powders, caseins, caseinates, lactose, whey, etc.
These ingredients derive from complex transformation processes, which all share one step: drying, which turns milk into an easily stored and readily exportable powder.
Collect milk
Pipes take the milk to a refrigerated
tank.
Chill the milk to prevent bacteria from developing and store milk in the right conditions
Guarantee milk quality
Transport milk from the farm to the dairy
The cold chain is maintained
Guarantee product quality
Samples are sent to laboratories to detect any traces of antibiotics or other substances that could negatively impact manufacturing
Transfer milk from the refrigerated tanker to the factory tank for storage before processing
The milk is transferred from the tanker to the storage tank by a system of pipes.
Thermal preprocessing is possible before storage, to reduce the number of undesirable micro-organisms and improve the shelf life of milk.
The cold chain is maintained.
Guarantee product quality
Adjust the fat content
This process ensures homogeneous fat content for each category of dairy product.
Eliminate micro-organisms that are harmful for humans.
Through contact with hot plates, the milk is heated at 72°C for 15 seconds.
Extends the shelf life of milk when refrigerated
Reduce the water in milk through boiling
Milk passes through successive evaporators to become increasingly concentrated. These steps are carried out by partial vacuum to increase the evaporation capacity and limit thermal denaturation (boiling temperature of <100°C).
Facilitates the drying stage
Transform concentrated milk into powder
Concentrated milk is pulverized into fine droplets in a spray-drying tower, where a current of hot air transforms it into powder.
Reduced volume (easier storage and transportation) and improved shelf life
Eliminate the last traces of water in the powder
The powder from the spray-drying tower passes over a vibrating horizontal surface (“fluid bed”), which receives a current of hot air.
Improves shelf life by avoiding the formation of lumps
Package milk powder to be sold
The powder is packaged in bags of various sizes (40-500 kg) for sale to manufacturers.
Depending on the type of milk used, drying produces whole milk or skimmed milk powder.
Skimmed milk powder is used mainly in dairy products containing reconstituted milk (yoghurts, milk-based desserts, ice creams, etc.), chocolate products, baby milk formula and animal food.
Milk powder is used mainly in chocolate products, breads, buns, pastries and sweets.
In 2015, France produced nearly 537,000 tonnes of unpackaged industrial milk powder.
Source: S.S.P. annual dairy survey
Whey is obtained during cheese manufacturing after coagulation and slicing of the curds. Drying produces a power that can be used in many types of food. Soluble protein and lactose are extracted from this whey powder.
Dried whey is used mainly in animal feed, whereas soluble whey protein is used in low-calorie/diet products and sport nutrition products.
There are different types of dried whey, including sweet, acid, demineralized, modified, etc.
In 2015, France produced more than 579,000 tonnes of dried whey and exported nearly 447,000 tonnes.
Source: S.S.P. annual dairy survey and Eurostat
Lactose is obtained by evaporation after extracting whey protein. Cristallization and crushing produces different grades of lactose for different purposes.
Lactose is a sugar composed of a galactose molecule and a glucose molecule. Its sweetening power is low (16% that of sucrose).
Lactose is used to manufacture baby milk, chocolate, sweets, cold meats and reconstituted milk products.
It also has non-food applications: 25% of the lactose produced in the European Union is used by the pharmaceutical industry.
In 2014, France produced more than 29,000 tonnes of lactose.
Source: S.S.P. annual dairy survey and France Agrimer
Milk contains two types of protein: soluble or “serum” protein (present in whey) and coagulable caseins (80% of milk protein).
This category includes three types of products:
These products are used in many sectors: for processed cheeses, reconstituted milk products, cold meats, coffee creamers, low-calorie products, cheeses and cheese substitutes for pizzas, etc.
Non-food uses include glues and coatings, for example.
The main European producers are France and Ireland, which are also major exporters.
In 2015, France produced 45,000 tonnes of caseins (73%) and caseinates (27%) and exported more than 43,000 tonnes.
Source: S.S.P. annual dairy survey, Eurostat and France AgriMer
Whey protein concentrates (WPCs) are high-protein products (35% protein), obtained by whey ultrafiltration.
Whey protein isolates (WPIs) are products containing 80% protein, obtained by concentrating and purifying WPCs.
These ingredients are used in reconstituted milk products, low-calorie foods, sports nutrition, etc.
Extraction enables the soluble proteins in whey (WPIs and WPCs) to be put to best use. Further differentiated protein fractions can be isolated, such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrins, alpha-lactalbumins, beta-lactoglobulins, etc. At the same time, products are obtained that are low in protein but high in lactose (e.g., whey permeates).
Global and European demand for WPCs and WPIs is currently strong.
Milk protein concentrates (MPCs) are skimmed milk concentrates containing at least 40% milk protein, both casein and soluble protein. MPCs are obtained by ultrafiltering milk.
Milk protein isolates (MPIs) are concentrates containing more than 80% protein. They are obtained by microfiltering milk.
These concentrates are mainly used to manufacture fresh dairy products, processed cheeses, coffee creamers, sports nutrition products, health foods, pastries, and so on.
MPCs can also be used in cheese or added to milk to increase protein content and improve yield.
The term “milk” is usually only authorized for products made entirely from cow’s milk protein, but the protein content of “baby milk powder” as it is known in France (“poudre de lait infantile”) varies between manufacturers and for different aged babies.
France is Europe’s largest producer of baby formula, followed by Germany.
It is also a major exporter, exporting more than 134,000 tonnes in 2013. This figure has been steadily rising for five years.
In 2013, 69% of French exports of baby formula are to countries outside Europe. Strong demand for China, in particular is one of the main drivers of this growth.
Average ingredients in baby formula
Source: France AgriMer
Some drying processes for whole-milk powder (“Hatmaker” drying, which is now rarely used in manufacturing) produce a caramelized flavour that is very popular with chocolate or pastry manufacturers.
Lactose enables products to brown through caramelization (or as a precursor to the Maillard reaction).
Whey protein concentrates are used in croissants and brioches, for example, to soften and form the pastry.
Whey protein concentrates (WPCs) and whey protein isolates (WPIs) are used as gelling agents in dairy product manufacturing.
Caseins give runniness to processed cheese; e.g., for use on pizzas.
Skimmed milk powder is a popular texturizer and whitener for manufactured sauces.
Caseins act as stabilizers and emulsifiers in sauces.
