Types of Milk

About half the milk produced in the United States is sold as fluid milk and cream. Much of the rest comes to the market as butter, cheese, and ice cream. The available market forms of milk include fluid milk - whole, reduced fat (2 percent), low fat (1 percent), fat-free (non fat), UHT, chocolate, and many others like dry milk, cream, and cultured milk products such as yogurt and buttermilk.

Whole Milk

To be classified as whole milk, it must contain 3.25 percent milk fat and at least 8.25 percent milk solids-not-fat (MSNF). The milk is usually fortified with vitamins A and D, but this is not required.

Reduced Fat and low Fat Milk

These milks have had some of their fat removed so that milk fat levels are decreased to 2.0 and 1.0 percent respectively and are so noted on the carton. A minimum of 8.25 percent MSNF is necessary, but if it exceeds 10 percent, then the milk must be labeled “protein fortified” or “fortified with protein”. The addition of milk solids improves the consistency, taste, and nutritive content of reduced and low fat milks. Vitamin A fortification is required, while the addition of vitamin D is optional. New milk labeling requirements effective January 1998 require that 2 percent milk, which was previously called “low-fat”, now be called “reduced fat” milk. The low fat designation is now used to describe 1 percent milk.

Consumer interest in lower-fat products has resulted in a drastic downward trend in the consumption of whole milk. Between 1970 and 1990, reduced and lower-fat milk sales increased 300 percent, while sales of whole milk dropped by 50 percent.