Milk them well! Milk products are money-spinners

Dairy development is not just science today. It's an art that needs a lot of skill. With its huge possibilities, milk is big business today. Here are some of the productive ones:

Of all milk products in the market today, yogurt is the most sought after. It's touted as the best and safest health bet. The powder called “yogurt cultures” that’s available in supermarkets is what aids in making the health smoothie.

Usually, yogurt cultures are added to milk under temperatures varying from 40 to 45 degrees Celsius. It’s then set aside for up to 10 hours till the milk is set. Yogurt comes in many forms with fruits and other mixes as set, stirred, fluid, low fat, full fat, dietetics, natural, plain, flavoured etc. They are then attractively packed and sent to hypermarket stores.

Say cheese!

Say Cheese! This of course is the next big thing. The best cheese comes from the best milk. Milk is first curdled using bacteria culture or other technicalities. Super enzymes like Rennet help the milk to curdle and separate the thick sediment from the milk. The diluted milk is then drained out and the complete water squeezed out of the milk dough. It’s then pressed and added with the right ingredients which finally come out as cheese. Cheese forms when the enzyme works in reaction with the casein protein in milk. The Cheddar and the Mozzarella are much sort after cheeses.

Paneer

The Indian variant of cheese is what’s known as cottage cheese or paneer. It’s also referred to as “paal irachi” or meat from milk. Paneer is a mine of protein for vegans. Around 1% of citric acid is poured into milk that’s been brought to a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. Paneer can be made at home by squeezing in small quantities of lemon extract to milk. The curled milk is separated from the liquid, pressed down and freed of water. This thick residue is then left in water for some time. It can be kept in the freezer for longer periods. Bajji, cutlets, pickles and curries can be made from paneer. Close to 200 gm of paneer can be had from a litre of milk. A hundred gm of paneer costs Rs 80 in the market. Quite a lucrative business provided the right market is found.

The liquid milk that’s got when paneer or cheese is separated is called whey. The liquid that’s rich in whey protein and lactose can be transformed by adding flavours, sugar and other mixes to be marketed as whey sip-up, whey drinks etc.

The chhana or cheese curds can be mixed well with flour or maida. This mix when added to boiling sugar syrup becomes rasgulla. The rasgulla thus made is flavoured with either cardamom or vanilla and dipped in fresh sugar syrup.

Chhana, patted into small patties and flavoured with cardamom and saffron and dipped into thick milk or cream is what’s served as rasmalai.

From khoa comes peda, barfi and gulab jamun. Khoa can be had by boiling milk till it thickens and turns into a residue. Add three tablespoons of maida, one tablespoon rava (semolina) and a pinch of baking powder to khoa and mix well. Roll them into small balls. Deep fry them till they turn golden brown. Dip them immediately into hot and thick sugar syrup. Gulab jamuns are ready!

Halwa, laddu, kesari, and milk chocolates can be made from milk. Yummy laddoos can be had by adding a kilo of fried rava to a litre of boiling milk and a kilo of sugar along with ghee and cardamom.

Of all milk products, the marketing potential of milk chocolates is immense. Homemade chocolates are much in demand everywhere, especially in tourist centres. Chocolates made with milk or milk powder, cocoa and dark chocolate can be home-sold products. The trick lies in the packing. Attractively packed chocolates are a big draw.

Milk sip-up

Milk sip-up is one hit item which commands a wide market. Milk is mixed with sugar, essence or flavour and frozen. A small sealing machine and long plastic tubes are all it takes to do the job. Automatic sealing and packing machines can be used when the business flourishes. Flavoured drinks, milk shakes, milk aval, nanari sherbet and many other items can be had from milk. The golden milk, that’s milk with a bit of turmeric is the world’s elixir today.

All details and marketing possibilities of milk and milk products come under the ambit of the Food Safety Rule FSSA 2006. Hence, an FSSA registration or licence is compulsory. More details can be had from the website: Click here

The Diary Development Department provides training in the manufacture of dairy products. More details on the training can be had from the web address: Click here

Address: Dairy Development officer, Kalpetta, Wayanad. Ph: 9447001071