milk
Sign in to savethumb|A glass of cow milk thumb|Cows in a Rotolactor|rotary milking parlor Milk is a usually white liquid food (but can be shades of yellow, cream, pink, or even brown) produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest solid food. Milk contains many nutrients, including calcium and protein, as well as lactose and saturated fat; the enzyme lactase is needed to break down lactose. Immune factors and immune-modulating components in milk contribute to milk immunity. The first milk, which is called colostrum,
AI overview
Milk is a nutrient-rich liquid produced by mammary glands of lactating mammals that serves as the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they can eat solid food. It contains important nutrients like calcium and protein, along with immune factors that help protect developing animals from disease.
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Wikidata facts
- Subclass of
- non-alcoholic beverage
- Part of
- quark
- Has part
- magnesium
- Image
- Glass of Milk (33657535532).jpg
Show 6 more facts
- P462
- yellow
- P2849
- mammary gland
- P5008
- Wikipedia:Vital articles/Level/4 (2022)
- P366
- whey
- P1424
- Template:Milk navbox
Article
54 sectionsContents
- Etymology and terminology
- Types of consumption
- Nutrition for infant mammals
- Food product for humans
- History
- Industrialization
- Sources
- Other animal-based sources
- Production worldwide
- Production yields
- Price
- {{Anchor|Physical and chemical properties}}Composition
- pH
- Lipids
- Proteins
- Salts, minerals, and vitamins
- Calcium phosphate structure
- Sugars and carbohydrates
- Miscellaneous contents
- Appearance
- Processing
- Pasteurization
- Filtration
- Creaming and homogenization
- UHT
- Nutrition and health
- Cow's milk: variation by breed
- Nutritional value
- Disease
- Allergy
- Lactose intolerance
- Evolution of lactation
- Bovine growth hormone supplementation
- Human health
- Animal welfare
- Fat content
- Reduction or elimination of lactose
- Additives and flavoring
- Distribution
- Australia and New Zealand
- India
- Pakistan
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Packaging
- Spoilage and fermented milk products
- Powdered milk
- Use in other food products
- In language and culture
- Non-culinary uses
- Interspecies milk consumption
- See also
- References
- Further reading
thumb|A glass of cow milk thumb|Cows in a Rotolactor|rotary milking parlor Milk is a usually white liquid food (but can be shades of yellow, cream, pink, or even brown) produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest solid food. Milk contains many nutrients, including calcium and protein, as well as lactose and saturated fat; the enzyme lactase is needed to break down lactose. Immune factors and immune-modulating components in milk contribute to milk immunity. The first milk, which is called colostrum, contains antibodies and immune-modulating components that strengthen the immune system against many diseases.
As an agricultural product, milk is collected from farm animals, mostly cattle, on a dairy. It is used by humans as a drink and as the base ingredient for dairy products. The US CDC recommends that children over the age of 12 months (the minimum age to stop giving breast milk or formula) should have two servings of milk products a day, and more than six billion people worldwide consume milk and milk products. The ability for adult humans to digest milk relies on lactase persistence, so lactose intolerant individuals have trouble digesting lactose.