U.S. Army Medical Correspondence Course: Dairy - Milk, Cream, Fresh Dairy, Yogurt, Homogenization, Pasteurization, Raw Milk, Cheese, Ice Cream, Butter, Manufactured Products

In Biblical times, the ideal home was in a "land flowing in milk and honey." Today, a common expression used in reference to nutrition is that "milk is nature's most nearly perfect food." Milk and honey are the only articles in the diet whose sole function in nature is to serve as food. Practically everything else we eat fulfills some other function in the animal and vegetable world. Fruits and vegetables are either roots, leaves, or seeds, and meat comes from the bodies of animals. Milk is the one food item that all nutritionists agree on, concerning its value for growth and development of children and young animals. No other single substance can serve as a complete substitute for milk in the diet. Dairy products are also very susceptible to quality and wholesomeness deficiencies. For this reason, it is very important that you, as a veterinary food inspection specialist, be familiar with the composition of dairy products and how improper handling or processing of dairy products affect this composition. This will enable you to assure that only high-quality, wholesome dairy products are utilized by the Military Services.

INTRODUCTION * CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION TO DAIRY PRODUCTS * Section I. General Introduction * Section II. Fresh Dairy Products * Section III. Frozen Desserts * Section IV. Manufactured Dairy Products * Exercises * CHAPTER 2 - INSPECTION OF DAIRY PRODUCTS * Section I. Inspection Procedures * Section II. Specific Examinations Performed

The dairy industry has undergone an astonishing evolution during the past one hundred years. Specialized dairy machinery has been developed and improved. Examples are the milking machine, the pasteurizer, the cream separator, the mechanical bottle washer, the mechanical refrigerator, and the homogenizer. The population and the national economy have both grown, thereby increasing the consumption of milk and milk products. The population has shifted to urban areas, resulting in an improvement of the dairy product distribution system to our cities. Due to the improvement in our transportation facilities, large quantities of milk and milk products can easily be shipped long distances under refrigeration. Recent improvements in processing and pasteurization methods have increased the shelf life of milk products while preserving the fresh milk flavor.