Variations in Composition of Fluid Milk Products to Consumer

Selected fluid milk products of 73 milk processors were studied for variation in composition during February 1972.Special attention was given to standardization of milk fat and to amounts of fortification for those products which are modified by the processors.Of the three components, milk fat, solids-not-fat, and protein, milk fat was the most variable.Approximately half of the variation in milk fat can be attributed to variation between handlers.Products which were fortified by the addition of milk solidsnot-fat hadgreater variation in solids-notfat and protein than unfortified products.The fortified products had an average increase in solids-not-fat of one percent of total product.Processin~ accidents occurred, which contributed to variation in product composition.The label on the milk carton did not always reflect the true product composition.