milk and cheese

• Milk


  A complete food that is easy to digest and contains all five nutrients and water
• Types of milk


  • Cow's milk
  • Goat's milk
  • Sheep's milk
  • Buffalo's milk
  • Milk alternatives (e.g. soya milk)
• Milk processing


  1. Make it safe to drink

  2. Prolong its shelf life

  3. Improve its flavour
• Pasteurisation


  Milk is heated to 72°C for 25 seconds, then cooled quickly before being packed. This kills any vitamin c present and pathogenic bacteria without changing the taste.

  lasts for 3-4 days in the fridge
• Homogenisation


  Distributes the fat in milk, which improves the flavour. Carried out after pasteurisation.
• Nutritive and dietetic value of milk

  Milk lacks fibre, vitamin C and iron. Effort should be made to combine milk with foods high in these nutrients.
• Dairy alternatives


  Useful in vegetarian and vegan diets (e.g. soya milk)
• Yoghurt


  Made when harmless bacteria are added to pasteurised milk. Nutritional and dietetic value similar to milk.
• Probiotic yoghurts


  Have 'healthy' bacteria added to aid digestion and strengthen the immune system
• Cheese


  A fermented dairy product made from milk to which bacteria and enzymes are added
• Types of cheese


  • Soft cheese
  • Semi-soft/semi-hard cheese
  • Hard cheeses
• Production of cheese


  1. Pasteurisation

  2. Starter culture added

  3. Rennet added

  4. Cut and drained

  5. Moulded

  6. Packaged
• Rennet


  An enzyme found in the stomachs of grass-eating animals that coagulates milk, separating it into curds and whey
• Average composition of cheese

  • Protein 27%
  • Fat 33%
  • Carbohydrate 0%
  • Vitamins 1% A B
  • Minerals 4% Calcium
  • Water 35%
• Nutritive value of cheese

  • Protein (high, HBV, for growth and repair of cells)
  • Fat (high, saturated, for energy, low fat cheese has half the fat)
  • Carbohydrate (none, serve with carbs like bread)
  • Minerals (calcium for bones and teeth)
  • Vitamins (A for eyes, skin, membranes, growth; B for nerves, energy)
  • Water (depends on whether the cheese is hard, semi-soft or soft)
• Effects of cooking on cheese

  • Fat melts
  • Protein coagulates and then hardens and becomes harder to digest
  • Turns brown
  • Bacteria destroyed
  • Vitamin B lost
• How to make cheese easier to digest

  Grate it, add mustard, cook as little as possible
• How to include more dairy products in the diet

  • Drink milk based drinks instead of fizzy drinks
  • Add yoghurt to fruit smoothies
  • Use cheese and yoghurt and fromage frais for snacks
  • Serve dishes au gratin (e.g. Potatoes)
  • Add grated cheese to salads
• Effects of cooking on milk and cheese

  Fat melts, protein coagulates and then hardens and becomes harder to digest, turns brown, bacteria destroyed, vitamin B lost