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Subscribe!Unhomogenized milk
Right then, where to start.
The vast majority of cows milk that we buy and consume in the developed world has gone through two pretty major scientific processes.
Pasteurization is done for obvious reasons. Unpasteurized milk does taste a lot better (and has an odd yellowy colour), but unless you live right next to a farm, know a bit about the cows that are producing it, and aren’t going to keep it for long, then it’s probably not the best idea to buy and use it.
Homogenization on the other hand has no health or storage benefits to the milk. It’s only purposes are aesthetic and the fact that you don’t need to shake the bottle to mix the cream. It’s a complex process but the simplest explanation is that the fat particles in the milk are broken down into a smaller size so that the milk looks smooth and has no lumps of cream in it.
So, what do I get by buying unhomogenized milk, I get the kind of milk that I remember as a kid. Unhomogenized milk has that cream line at the top, so that everyone (who likes milk) wants to the one who gets to open the next bottle or carton and get the lovely fatty creamy bit.
It’s only fairly recently that homogenized milk has become the norm in the UK. When the majority of our milk came from the milkman then it was all unhomogenized, when we gave up that great institution and started buying it in the supermarket, then we didn’t use change the delivery method but also made a switch to homogenization.
Apart from the creaminess and the nostalgia of it, there are a number of other reasons why I prefer unhomogenized milk.
A lot of people and a few studies believe that there are health benefits associated with unhomogenized milk. Homogenized milk is supposedly easier to digest and there is some evidence that it is more likely to trigger allergies, and that homogenization can contribute to atherosclerosis. None of this evidence is overly strong, but why pass any foodstuff through a process that adds no positive health benefits, and may or may not add negative ones.
In the kitchen, because it has bigger fat molecules, unhomogenized cream takes about half of the time to whip that homogenized cream does, which is handy.
Apart from anything else though, and most important of all, is the fact that unhomogenized milk and cream simply tastes better!
Entries (RSS)
January 23rd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
you say in your article about milk that “homogenized milk is supposedly easier to digest”, did you mean that or did you mean to say that unhomogenized milk is?
Regards Janette
June 7th, 2009 at 7:40 am
It was correct, just the ‘and’ instead of ‘but’ afterwards made it read badly, I have adjusted it, thanks.
Some people claim that homogenized milk is easier to digest, because the fat molecules are smaller and therefore your body has less work to do in breaking them down.
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:57 am
There is a doctor put it this way. The broken fat by homogenizing
processing is like broking the glass. Instead of the whole glass,
we are now getting the broken pieces. The nature structure of
the fat is damaged. It is not surprising to know there are so many
people allergic to cow milk.
July 24th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
where can we buy it though mate? cos i it love too but can only buy gold top/jersey milk which is unhomogenized in supermarkets. thing is they dont always have it stock, anywhere i can buy just normal full fat “silver” top like i had at school!!
September 21st, 2009 at 7:24 pm
For those of you in Somerset, Midway Farm Dairy supplies unhomogenised milk to our shop and others in the area. Croscombe Village Stores Ba5 3Qh.
Hope this helps,
September 23rd, 2009 at 6:48 pm
i live in norfolk thanx any way mate
September 26th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
When I lived in the UK, I used to buy unhomogenized milk in Waitrose. I don’t know if all branches stock it, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I would also like to buy the unhomogenized milk, skimmed,semi,or full fat. Can’t we please get it back ON SALE,we have enough plaque blocking our arteries which research say’s is calcium, causing hardening arteries.Bring back the old style milk!
December 19th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Abel and Cole sell unhomogenized milk – it is very good.
December 2nd, 2010 at 8:38 am
Abel and Cole only sell unhomogenised. The deliver country wide and it isn’t that much more than supermarket milk. It is available in various sizes and in whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed, It is beautiful. http://www.abelandcole.co.uk ejoy everyone! x
December 18th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Waitrose sell traditonal milk try it
December 18th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
I used to buy that from Waitrose when I lived in the UK – it’s very good.
March 16th, 2011 at 3:53 am
My Dairycrest milkman delivers unhomogenised milk to my house, three days a week. It’s more expensive than supermarket milk, but tastes much better.
March 16th, 2011 at 10:52 am
Oh, the milkman – one of the few things I miss about living in England!
May 15th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
You can now purchase this at a small local shop in stockwood bristol. L & S Discounts
May 28th, 2011 at 10:01 am
A few years ago I wrote a letter to the Milk Marketing Board enquiring about the disappearance of the cream on the top of milk. They replied that most supermarkets now sell only homogenised milk in plastic bottles. The reason for this is that people have become extremely fussy about buying milk where the cream had stuck to the plastic bottle at the top and consumers had assumed that the milk was ‘off,’ so sales began to drop. The MMB did suggest that Marks and Spencer were still the only store to sell unhomogenised milk and also that most Jersey Whole Milk was ‘unhomogenised!’
July 9th, 2011 at 10:24 am
Waitrose are the only place I can find unhomgenised milk up here in Edinburgh. I even phoned the local dairies who deliver but they all homogenise now. My kids like the Waitrose “Traditional Whole Milk” much better than gold top or Jersey Milk, which, even when well shook, they find “lumpy”. I too find the normal unhomogenised from Waitrose creamier and less thick tasting than Jersey milk. I wish it was more readily available!
February 4th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Shock, horror, went to get my unhomgenised from Waitrose today and guess what? Yep, they are replacing the lovely Duchy organic pasteurised milk with waitrose pasteurised, HOMOGENISED. CAn’t we start a campaign?