Question

Average fat globule size in cow milk

• A. 2 \(\mu\)
• B. 4 \(\mu\)
• C. 10 \(\mu\)
• D. 22 \(\mu\)

Hint:

Cow's milk has smaller fat globules (\(\approx 4 \ \mu\text{m}\)) compared to buffalo milk (\(\approx 5 \ \mu\text{m}\)), which makes cow's milk fat separate slightly slower under natural gravity.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Milk fat exists as an emulsion of spherical droplets or globules dispersed in the aqueous milk plasma, coated by a protective milk fat globule membrane (MFGM).

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- The size of fat globules in milk is highly variable, ranging from \(0.1 \ \mu\text{m}\) to over \(15 \ \mu\text{m}\) in diameter.
- In cow's milk, the average (mean) diameter of fat globules is approximately \(3.5 \text{ to } 4 \ \mu\text{m}\).
- In comparison, buffalo milk contains larger fat globules, with an average diameter of around \(5 \ \mu\text{m}\).
- Options like \(10 \ \mu\) or \(22 \ \mu\) represent exceptionally large, outlying globule sizes that are not representative of the average.

Step 3: Final Answer
The average fat globule size in cow's milk is 4 \(\mu\)m.