The ‘UHT’ in UHT milk stands for ‘ultra-high temperature’, this is a fundamental element of the production process which provides the milk with longevity and consistency, making it ideal for regular domestic users, as well as for use in professional kitchens.
What does UHT mean in milk?
Okay, so we know what UHT stands for, but what does it actually mean? When fresh milk is made it contains microorganisms which continue to evolve and which eventually start to change the texture, aroma and taste of the milk. We popularly know this as the milk going sour and starting to taste and smell unpleasant.
UHT milk, by contrast, avoids this by ultra-high temperatures being applied to the milk in the production process. This will typically be within a range of 135-150°C for 2-5 seconds, although in the case of Just Milk we aim specifically for 140°C. Applying this temperature kills all the microorganisms in the milk, and importantly, the milk is then instantly cooled and sealed. This ensures freshness, maintains the sterility of the milk and therefore provides the longer shelf life our customers expect.
Why does UHT milk last so long?
The simple reason that UHT milk lasts longer than fresh milk is that UHT milk is sterilised, and is then maintained in a sterilised state. This means that the ultra-high temperature process kills all the microorganisms and heat-resistant spores that could spoil the milk, and then the rapid packaging of the milk is airtight to keep out light and air and other microorganisms, and hence the milk remains sterile.
Fresh milk is the common alternative to long-life UHT milk. This is pasteurised, which involves a process whereby the milk is heated to a much lower temperature and hence doesn’t kill all the microorganisms in the milk. For this reason, fresh milk doesn’t last as long as UHT milk. This also means that UHT milk can be stored unopened for much longer than fresh milk and also doesn’t need to be chilled until it is opened. It means in a domestic home you always have a source of milk available, and in a professional kitchen a chef can manage their stocks better and can rely on the UHT milk having a consistency of taste, colour and flavour.
The benefits of using UHT milk
These include:
- Convenience – Supply, storage and availability is easier to manage.
- Consistency – UHT milk undergoes the same heat treatment process every time, and hence the resulting milk has the same consistency of flavour and texture.
- Quality – At Just Milk we implement rigorous quality checks in the production process and because the harmful microorganisms have been removed, quality standards are much higher.
Of course UHT milk also has health benefits and is a versatile product to use in many different ways in the kitchen, so check out our range of UHT milks at Just Milk.