Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Standardization is a fundamental unit operation in dairy processing.
It involves adjusting the chemical composition of raw milk, specifically the fat and solids-not-fat (SNF) percentages, to meet legally defined standards or specific product requirements.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Raw milk received at dairy plants exhibits wide variations in fat and SNF content due to factors such as breed, feed, season, and lactation stage.
To ensure consistency in nutritional value, taste, and processing behavior, the fat and SNF ratios are mathematically adjusted.
This is typically achieved by either adding cream (to increase fat) or adding skim milk/reconstituted non-fat dry milk (to decrease fat and adjust SNF).
Homogenization is a purely physical process where milk is subjected to high pressure to reduce the size of fat globules, preventing cream separation.
Humanization is a highly specialized process of modifying bovine or bubaline milk to match the nutritional profile of human breast milk, primarily for infant formula.
Transformation is a general term not specific to compositional adjustments in dairy science.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The compositional adjustment of fat and/or SNF in milk to a set target level is called standardization.