The problem of long-term storage of any food for people was always relevant. But how to preserve products without losing their taste and beneficial properties? That only for these purposes was not invented. Meat, vegetables, milk - all this was literally recently buried in a pit for storage, lined with straw and ice on top. However, modern technology does not stand still. Currently, there are special freezers and refrigerators that allow you to keep products unchanged for a very long time. Another best way is to recycle fresh produce into something new. For example, from fruits you can get jam, jam, jam. If we talk about vegetables, then this should include various canned salads and pickles. In the dairy industry, this approach provides the opportunity to obtain a wide range of milk products. Cream, butter, sour cream, cottage cheese can be obtained through the separation of milk. This is what we will talk about in our article.
general information
Dairy products have unrivaled gustatory qualities, as well as valuable nutritional properties. Needless to say, such products, provided they are stored properly, can last for a very long time? Most farmers and farm owners are wondering where to put all the excess milk. Separation in this case is an excellent solution.
However, this will require a special apparatus called a separator. Thanks to him, you can get, for example, cream from whole milk. The principle of separators for the separation of milk is quite simple and does not require any special knowledge in use. You just need to pour whole milk into the machine, press the button, after which you will get skim milk and cream after a while. In whole milk there is fat in the form of certain fat globules. Their density is much lower than the density of the aqueous component of milk. When during the process of separation of milk the drum of the apparatus is unwound under the influence of centrifugal force, this fat gradually begins to separate from the skim milk. Since its density is less, it will be easier to reverse, as a result of this it is forced out to the middle of the drum, after which it is discharged through the drainage system. After separation, skim milk is removed through another outlet of the apparatus.
It is important to note that during separation, the working mass is also cleaned of impurities, precipitation and mechanical impurities. As a result, you get a healthy and refined food product in the form of skim milk and cream.
Which separator to choose?
To separate the milk at home, it will be important to choose an apparatus for this process. Thrifty owners can use a hand-operated separator. This option will not require energy, but will only work due to physical strength. It should also be noted that there is no difference in performance between the electric and manual versions. The manual machine for separating milk at home is equipped with a special gearbox, thanks to which the drum can be given greater rotational speed.
However, on the other hand, the processing of excess whole milk using an electric apparatus completely eliminates the need to use physical force. Here everyone decides for himself which model of equipment to choose for separation of milk at home.
Features of separation at home
As mentioned earlier, whole milk can be separated easily at home. However, there are several methods that will depend on the main goal. Let's consider them separately.
Getting cream
One of the best methods of using milk is to separate it initially into cream and skim milk, as well as their subsequent use separately. For example, cream can be used to make butter, sour cream. And skim milk is used to make cottage cheese.
In total, there are two methods for obtaining cream from whole milk: separation and sedimentation.
Upholding
Cream is obtained by this method according to a specific algorithm. First, fresh milk must be poured into some spacious container, put in a cool place. After 18-24 hours, a layer of cream should rise and form, which subsequently merge into a separate bowl. This method has several disadvantages: about 1% of fat remains in skim milk after this procedure. In addition, milk is often sour during settling.
Separation
The most rational method is separation. At home, it is best to use small devices whose performance is from 30 to 100 liters per hour. As mentioned earlier, the drive can be electric or manual. It is recommended to install separators in a heated room on the edge of a stable table or on a special stand vertically without any distortions. Dismantling, assembly, as well as maintenance of the separator are carried out in accordance with the instructions that are attached to it.
Training
Before proceeding to the main process, a small amount of hot water, about 70 degrees, must be passed through the drum of the apparatus to warm it. Milk is launched into the drum only after its normal rotation speed is reached.
Fresh milk is used for separation. It’s best to take a pair. And what should be the temperature of the milk for separation? If it is cold, then it must be heated to about 30 degrees. At this temperature, it will be better to degrease.
Boiled or pasteurized milk, as a rule, is processed much worse, and there are also large fat losses during the separation of milk.
Main process
On the receiver of the device, you must first tie up gauze, folded in several layers, or some other suitable tissue, through which you can filter the milk when it is filled.
After that, smoothly and slowly, increasing speed, the handle of the device rotates up to 65 revolutions per minute. If you use an electric separator, then it must be included in the network. When he picks up the required number of revolutions, it is necessary to open the receiver tap, after which the milk will begin to pass into the drum for further separation. To such a process was continuous, periodically milk is poured into the receiver.
The cream fat level can be adjusted by turning the drain screw, which has a square hole. If you turn the screw to the right, then the fat content of the cream will be more. If you turn the screw to the left, then the fat content will decrease.
At the end of the separation process, it is necessary to fill in the receiver with up to 1 liter of charge, without turning it, turn off the device. Wait until the cream hole flows back. This suggests that all milk fat from the drum is removed, which means that it is necessary to turn off the receiver tap.
Process completion
When the separation is completed, the drum and dishes must be disassembled, washed with cold water, as well as warm soda solution and clean water. All parts of the separator are then laid out on a drying table. A rubber ring is washed in clean water and dried. All plastic parts of the device must not be stored in sub-zero temperatures, since after that they become too fragile.
Butter
To make butter, you need a churn. Using this apparatus at home you can make products of various kinds: peasant, Vologda, sweet cream, salty, not salty, sour and cream. The separation process in the separators also allows you to maintain microbiological properties.
For the manufacture of butter used cream containing about 30% fat. Preparing them for whipping into oil will consist of pasteurization, cooling, and also maturation.
They are pasteurized without exposure at a temperature of about 90 degrees. At this temperature, the product is kept for about 30 minutes. During pasteurization, cream should be mixed periodically. Pasteurized products are not recommended to be transferred to another container. Whip cream in butter at a temperature of about 10 degrees. The duration of churning is from 15 to 40 minutes.
The churn is filled with no more than 3 quarters of the capacity. Whip the cream until oil grains are formed, the size of which is about 3 mm. To combine the grains into larger ones, it is necessary to make several slow revolutions with the help of an oil churn. The finished oil is immediately sent to the refrigerator, stored at a temperature of 1 to 4 degrees.
Important factors
If you want quality processing of products, you need to pay attention to the factors affecting the separation of milk. These include the following:
- Quality raw materials. The fact is that without good milk, even the most expensive separator is not able to work a miracle. Here it is necessary not to overdo it with fat content, and 3% is considered its optimal content. It is also necessary to monitor temperature and acidity. Slightly warmed milk will be much easier to process. First, it is worth cleaning the product from wool and other particles, especially if goat milk is separated.
- Proper operation. Use the separator only in accordance with the attached instructions. It is very important to carry out proper maintenance of the device, to clean and rinse all the parts after each separation process. Before starting work, it is necessary to carefully study the separator circuit, it is desirable to assemble it by studying the instructions. Before pouring raw materials into the receiver, it is necessary to conduct one cycle with plain warm water. Due to this, all residues of detergents are washed off after the last use or the top layer of dust is removed from the apparatus.
It is important to note that all parts in the separator must fit snugly against each other, without gaps. For the greatest self-confidence, you can turn to professionals or watch special video tutorials.
As you can see, the separation process at home is not so difficult. To do this, you only need to purchase the simplest separator.