Cream

UNIT 2 PREPARATION OF DIFFERENT

TYPES OF CREAM
Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Sterilized Cream
2.3 Plastic Cream
2.4 Frozen Cream
2.5 Sour Cream
2.6 Whipped Cream
2.7 Uses of Cream
2.8 Composition and Standards
2.9 Let Us Sum Up
2.10 Key Words
2.11 Some Useful Books
2.12 Answers to Check Your Progress

2.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit, we should be able to:
 define different forms of Cream
 outline methods of manufacture of different types of cream
 specify composition and standard requirements
 enumerate uses of cream in food industry.

2.1 INTRODUCTION
Cream is classified on the basis of its fat content. The fat content in cream may
vary over a wide range (10.0 % to 85.0 %). The heavier the cream, the higher is
the proportion of fat contents. The fat content in half and half cream is approx.
10% fat. Various grades of cream include half-and-half cream, light cream, medium
and heavy cream, etc. Low fat cream is also called as market cream which
includes table cream, sterilized cream, light-cream, coffee cream etc. and usually
contains 12-25% fat. The market cream is used for direct consumption. The cream
containing more than 40% fat is known as manufacturer’s cream and include
whipping cream, heavy cream, plastic cream, etc. Whipping cream usually contains
fat between 28-35% while plastic cream between 60-85%. In this unit, we will
learn various grades/types of cream, their method of preparation and uses.

2.2 STERILIZED CREAM

It is also known as Table cream. The objective of preparation of sterilized cream
is to prolong the shelf life of cream and make it available to the consumers in a
ready-to-use form and in good condition. Sterilized cream should be smooth and
free from lumpiness and separation of serum. The high heat treatment, however
imparts it a peculiar flavour. Homogenization increases its viscosity. The whipping
quality of sterilized cream is also poor. The fat content in sterilized cream ranges
between 20-25 % and solids-not-fat content between 6.5-9.5 %.

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Manufacturing steps Preparation of Different
Types of Cream

The steps involved in preparation of sterilized cream are given in fig. 2.1.

Selection of cream

Standardization

Pre-heating

Homogenization

Cooling

Filling in containers

Sealing

Sterilization

Storage

Distribution

Fig 2.1 Flow diagram for preparation of sterilized cream

Selection of cream: Fresh and sweet cream is collected for the preparation of
sterilized table cream. The percent titratable acidity (TA) of freshly separated
cream is always lower than that of the milk from which it has been separated. The
T.A can be calculated by the following formula:

Percent serum in cream

Percent T.A. of cream = ————————————— x Percent T.A of Milk
Percent serum in milk

100 – Percent fat in cream

= ————————————— x Percent T.A of Milk
100 – Percent fat in milk

Standardization: Standardization refers to the adjustment of milk fat level in cream

to the desired level i.e. conforming to the standards requirement. The fat level
(percent) in cream is usually adjusted or decreased to the desired level by addition
of calculated quantity of skim milk. The quantity of skim milk to be added to cream
is calculated by the Pearson’s square method as explained below (Fig. 2.2):

40 19.9
20

0.1 20.0
Fig. 2.2: Pearson’s Square 21
Cream Let us assume that the fresh sample of cream contains 40 percent fat. It is required
to reduce its fat to 20 percent. The available skim milk for standardization contains
only 0.1 per cent fat.

The required quantity of skim milk to be added to cream is calculated as follows

by drawing a square and writing the fat percentage of cream (40%) and skim milk
(0.1%) on the two corners on the left side of the square.
(i) The desired fat percent level (20%), in cream is written in the centre of the
square.
(ii) Now subtract the number in the centre (20) from the larger number (40) at
the left-hand side of the square and place the remainder (20) at the diagonally
opposite right-hand corner.
(iii) Again subtract the smaller number (0.1) on the left hand side from the
number in the centre (20) and place the remainder (19.9) at the diagonally
opposite right-hand corner.

The numbers on the right-hand side now represent the number of parts of cream
and skim milk to be mixed to obtain cream containing 20% fat. It means that if 19.9
parts by weight of cream containing 40% fat is blended with 20 parts by weight
of skim milk (0.1% fat) will yield cream containing 20% fat.

Pre-heating: The purpose of pre-heating of cream is to delay its spoilage during

subsequent processing steps. Pre-heating inactivates undesirable micro-organisms
and the enzymes particularly lipase. It also helps in efficient homogenization of
cream. Standardized cream is pre-heated by heating it to 80-90°C without holding.

Homogenization: The purpose of homogenization of cream are as follows:

i) To prevent rising of fat during sterilization and storage.
ii) To prevent formation of a fat plug in the container.
iii) It also improves taste, whipping power and flocculation stability of the product.
Flocculation of coffee cream is a major problem. When cream is added to
hot coffee, flocculation occurs mainly because of the precipitation of casein.
Homogenization of casein free cream enriched with whey protein and pre-
heated to 90°C for 5 min. improves the flocculation stability probably because
of whey-protein denaturation.

Homogenization of pre-heated cream at 80-90°C is carried out in two stages

employing homogenization pressure of 25-30 kg/sq cm in first stage and 5kg/sq cm
in the second stage. In the first stage the fat globules are sub-divided in smaller
size globules and distributed uniformly in the whole mass of cream; it increases
viscosity. The second stage reduces viscosity and prevents the fat globules from
clumping together and forming lager clusters. Clumping refers to the tendency of
fat globules to loosely adhere to one another to form clusters. The tendency of
clumping is influenced by the following factors.
i) Fat Globule size - Large fat globules clump more readily than smaller ones.
ii) Temperature - Clumping tendency decreases with increase in temperature.
iii) Agitation - It increases clumping tendency at lower temperature (7°C) while
at higher temperature (60°C) the tendency of clumping decreases.
iv) Separation Method - Gravity separation yields cream with increased tendency
of clumping than that obtained by centrifugal separation with the same fat
content.
v) Adhesive - Addition of adhesive helps in clumping.

Cooling: Since filling of cream in the containers requires holding of cream for
22 sometime there is every possibility of increase in the titratable acidity of cream.
This may cause problems during sterilization process. Therefore, it is essential to Preparation of Different
Types of Cream
cool the cream to about 15-16°C to prevent any change in the acidity of cream if
the manufacturer requires enough time to fill the cream in containers in good
condition and seal them. However, if filling and sealing do not require holding of
cream, it can be filled directly from the homogenizer in to the containers and
transferred immediately to the sterilizer. Thus, it does not require cooling.

Filling and Sealing: Homogenized cream is filled in containers (lacquered tin cans,
glass bottles, retortable pouches etc.) leaving minimum head space and sealed.
These containers are then transferred to the sterilizer.

Sterilization: Sterilization of cream improves the shelf life of cream by making it

free from viable organisms. In-can sterilization of cream is done in retorts. The
filled cans or bottles are packed in retorts/batch sterilizer and then heated allowing15
minutes for coming up time to desired temperature (118°C), 12-15 minutes holding
time at 118°C and 15 minutes for cooling to room temperature. Thus, it takes 45
minutes to complete one cycle of sterilization process for one batch. After completion
of the process the tins/bottles are cleaned and tested for leakage by a immersing
them in clean water. Leaking tins/bottles are then discarded separately.

Storage and Distribution: The leak proof tins/bottles or packages are staked
properly in cardboard cartons and stored at room temperature. Properly sterilized
cream is expected to keep good for few months.

2.3 PLASTIC CREAM

Plastic cream is a highly viscous product than any other type of cream. It resembles
to paste in texture. It contains fat between 60-85 %. However it differs from butter
in that it is still a fat in water type emulsion in spite of containing fat near or equal
to butter. The plastic cream is used directly for the manufacture of butter oil or in
the preparation of standardized milk. It may also replace use of butter oil in the
preparation of recombined milk. Plastic cream can be prepared by any of the
following methods.
i. Re-separation of normal cream containing 30-40% fat in a normal cream
separator.
ii. Separating milk in a specially designed plastic cream separator to yield high
fat cream.

For preparation of plastic cream by any of the above two methods, it is essential
to pasteurize the initial product i.e. cream and milk. In case of milk it is heated
before separation to about 50°C and then separated. Pasteurization of cream is
done by heating to a temperature of about 74°C for 30 minutes followed by cooling
to 60-66°C before re-separation. Resulting products of the separation will be plastic
cream and skim milk. The cream is then packaged and stored for further use.
Check Your Progress 1

1) Why is cream homogenized?

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2) What is the purpose behind preparation of sterilized cream?
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Cream .....................................................................................................................
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3) What are the methods of preparation of plastic cream?
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2.4 FROZEN CREAM

As the name suggests the cream in frozen state is called frozen cream. Freezing
of cream inhibits bacterial growth. It is prepared to improve keeping quality of
cream so that it can be transported without spoilage over a long distance in a
refrigerated van. Freezing also helps to store surplus cream for use during shortage.
Ice-cream manufacturers use most of the frozen cream. It is also used in recombined
milk and cream soups. Addition of 10-15% sucrose by weight to cream before
freezing is helpful in preventing oiling-off after thawing of frozen cream. During
freezing ice crystals are also formed. These crystals rupture the membrane enclosing
the fat globules. Frozen cream, therefore, tends to oil-off on thawing especially at
higher temperature. Oiling-off in cream also impairs whipping property of the
product. Preparation of frozen cream also starts with collection of good quality of
milk, its filtration and separation. Resulting cream is then standardized to contain
40-50% fat and then pasteurized. Pasteurization is done by heating cream at 74°C
for 30 minutes in a batch type of pasteurizer or plate heat exchanger. The heated
cream is cooled after the holding period to 4°C. The pasteurized and cooled cream
is then filled in paper/plastic containers or cans and sealed. These containers are
then transferred to a freezing chamber maintained at a very low temperature (-
20°C). The cream freezes after a sometime in the containers. The frozen cream
is stored below -12°C. Preparation of frozen cream involves the following steps as
shown in Fig. 2.3

Milk

Separation

Standardization

Pasteurization

Cooling

Filling

Freezing

Fig. 2.3 Flow diagram for preparation of frozen cream

Freezing of cream could also be achieved by employing any of the following methods:
i) Blast freezing chamber- Bulk containers, containing cream, are allowed to
pass through a chamber where they meet a current of chilled air effecting
freezing.
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 ii) Plate freezers Preparation of Different
Types of Cream
iii) Rotating drum freezers
iv) Cryogenic freezing tunnels

2.5 SOUR CREAM

It is a cream product, which is prepared by ripening or souring of sweet cream to
a titratable acidity of 0.60%, L.A with desirable lactic acid bacteria. It has slightly
acidic flavour and smooth texture. Sour cream is usually used in the preparation of
different foods and sometimes in drinks and beverages. The following steps are
involved in the preparation of sour cream (Fig 2.4).

Sweet cream (Fresh)

Standardization

Pasteurization

Homogenization

Cooling

Inoculation

Incubation Filling/Packaging

Cooling Incubation

Gentle stirring Cooling

Chilling Storage

Packaging Distribution

Storage

Fig 2.4: Flow diagram for preparation of Sour cream

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Cream Sour cream is prepared from fresh and sweet cream standardized to contain 18-
20 % fat. The standardized cream is pasteurized by LTLT or HTST Method and
cooled to 60-65°C. At this temperature it is homogenized employing two-stage
homogenization process. Low temperature homogenization is preferred to promote
formation of fat clusters, which during ripening flocculate and also increase the
viscosity of the product and improve the texture. Homogenized cream is then
inoculated with 2-4% fresh and active starter culture containing lactic acid and
flavour producing microorganisms, namely, Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus
cremoris and diacetyl lactis. The inoculated cream is then incubated at a temperature
of 22°C and allowed to develop titratable acidity and desired body and texture.
Usually, it takes 10-12 hrs to attain the desired acidity. Sometimes some thickening
agent or rennet is also added to sweet cream to increase the firmness of the sour
cream. When the cream has attained the desired acidity (0.60% LA or pH 4.5) it
is cooled with gentle stirring and chilled to 2-4°C followed by packaging.

Alternatively, the cream after homogenization and inoculation is filled in the containers
and the packages are incubated at 22-25°C. The acidity develops. Then the packages
are transferred to cold rooms where cooling of the product is achieved.
Check Your Progress 2

1. Differentiate between frozen cream and frozen sour cream?

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2. Name the microorganisms used for souring of cream.
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3. What should be the acidity of sour cream?
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2.6 WHIPPING CREAM

It may be defined as a cream product containing air bubbles captured in a network
of fat globules. Cream containing more than 30% fat can be converted into whipping
cream by beating it with air to nearly double the volume of cream. Beating cream
produces foam by incorporating air in the cream. The foam thus produced has
remarkable stability. If whipping is continued it yields butter because of the joining
of the fat globules together. Homogenization of high fat whipping cream produces
excessively viscous product and hence not desired. It also decreases the functional
property of whipping cream. Homogenization, however, is used for the production
of spoon-able whipped cream and in UHT pasteurized whipping cream to prevent
fat separation.

Whipping cream is used in cakes, ice creams and for decorative toppings. It is
available in small bottles, plastic cans or large cans. It is also marketed as in-can
sterilized cream and even supplied with sugar and a driving gas in an aerosol-can
26 that delivers a ready-made whipped cream.
Cream is usually whipped immediately prior to use. Whipping cream should posses Preparation of Different
Types of Cream
a pleasing flavour, good keeping quality, good whipping ability and stability after
whipping. The whipping quality of cream is influenced by the following factors:
i) Fat content 35-36% is preferred
ii) Composition of fat i.e. proportion of crystalline fat and liquid fat. More
crystalline fat is preferred.
iii) Combination of cream-protein: It is needed in the composition to help formation
of air cells.
iv) Surface-active substances: Addition of surface-active substances like mono-
glyceride or Tween helps.
v) Temperature of cream: Higher temperature lowers the whipping quality.
vi) Separation temperature of cream.
vii) Ageing: Ageing at 4°C is desirable to produce more crystalline fat in cream.
viii) Acidity of cream: If the acidity of cream is higher it reduces whipping quality.
ix) Addition of stabilizers: It reduces whipping ability.

Cream obtained from pasteurized milk is standardized to contain 35-36% fat. The
standardized cream is stored for 24 hours at 4°C so that all the fat globules contain
some crystalline fat. A thickening agent like k-carrageenan @ 0.01% is added to
cream to prevent creaming or serum separation during storage. The aged cream
is then pasteurized preferably by holder method at a temperature of 74°C for 30
min. In-can sterilization of whipping cream is not advisable as it causes coalescence
of fat globules unless it is homogenized. But homogenization impairs the whipping
ability of cream. UHT heating of cream homogenized at low pressure (e.g. 2 and
0.7 M Pa at 35°C) and containing some emulsifiers is preferred. However, fluctuation
of temperature during UHT treatment may increase the viscosity, decrease whipping
properties and cause churning.

The pasteurized and cooled cream is stored in cold store to effect crystallization of
liquid fat. Whipping i.e. beating of cream with air is done prior to use of whipped
cream. Whipping produces stable foam by enclosing air bubbles in network of fat.
Slow beating of cream may cause churning of cream while vigorous beating results
in high over-run and finally smooth foam. Prolonged whipping may also cause
churning and yield butter and butter milk. Whipping effect can also be produced in
aerosol can without clumping of fat globules and beating. The foam is formed when
the gas pressure in cans is released. The foam thus produced is unstable. Therefore,
it requires addition of some surfactants or presence of proteins to impart some
degree of stability by protein. The process of preparation of whipping cream involves
the steps outlined in Fig 2.5.

Milk

Pasteurization

Separation

Cream

Standardization

Aging
27
Cream

Addition of thickening agent

Pasteurization

Cooling Packaging in
aerosol cans

Storage

Whipping Whipping

Fig. 2.5: Flow diagram for preparation of Whipping cream

2.7 USES OF CREAM

The unique natural flavour of cream imparts richness to many food products and
enhances flavour quality. Cream contains milk fat, which has melting points in a
narrow range. This facilitates quick release of flavours. Cream also imparts
smoothness and viscous mouthful to many food products. Milk fat in cream serves
as a carrier of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K. Hence it enriches the food
products with vitamins. The presence of protein in cream acts as an emulsifier and
helps in emulsification, aeration, foaming. It helps in whipping of cream giving over-
run to food products. Cream adds a whitening effect to the product and improves
the appearance and colour. It can also impart browning to cooked food due the
reaction between proteins and lactose present in cream. The functional properties
of cream mentioned above make it suitable for use in many food products. It may
be used directly from the container as an ingredient in the preparation of several
food products or serve an intermediate product. Some of the common uses of
cream in which it used in food industry are listed below:
i) Directly in tea/coffee hot chocolate/other beverages to impart richer
characteristics colour, texture, flavour and preparation of table/coffee/ whipping
cream to used directly as toppings to fresh fruits, desserts and cereals.
ii) Preparation of some special dishes like fruit cream, cream salad, sauces
cheese cakes, etc.
iii) Production of plastic cream, frozen cream, whipping cream, sour cream, as
intermediary product.
iv) Manufacture of butter, ghee, cream cheese, ice-cream, butter-oil.
v) Creaming cottage cheese
vi) Standardization of milk and milk products.
vii) Sweet-syrups like caramels, fudges, fruit syrup.
viii) Bakery products and confectionary products.
ix) Alcoholic cream beverages.
x) Piping cream-whipping cream is often piped onto cakes and desserts.

2.8 COMPOSITION AND STANDARDS

Cream is not a specific product. It can be produced with different fat content.
Other constituents in cream vary in their proportion depending on the fat content
28 of cream. As the fat content in cream increases, the other constituents (solids-not
fat) decrease in their proportion. The average chemical composition of cream Preparation of Different
Types of Cream
containing different fat levels and of different types is given in the following tables
(2.6 & 2.7).

The solids-not fat (SNF) content of cream can be calculated by the formula given
below:

(100 - % fat in cream)

Percent SNF = ———————————— x (% SNF in Milk)
(100 - % fat in milk)

Table 2.6: Average chemical composition of cream of different

fat content

Constituents Per cent Composition

Fat 25 30 50
Protein 2.54 2.40 1.69
Lactose 3.70 3.50 2.47
Ash 0.56 0.40 0.37
Solid-not-fat (SNF) 6.80 6.00 4.55
Total solids 31.80 36.00 54.55
Water 68.20 64.00 45.45

Table 2.7: Average chemical composition of different

types of cream

Type of Cream Percent Composition

Fat Protein Lactose Ash Moisture
Half-and-
half cream 11.50 3.00 4.30 0.70 80.50
Table cream 19.30 2.70 3.60 0.60 73.80
Whipping cream 37.00 2.00 2.80 0.50 57.70

i. Standards Requirements
It is the responsibility of dairy industry and the Governmental agencies to safe
guard the interest of the consumers with respect to the safety and quality of the
product. Cream is not a product of any fixed composition. Hence, it becomes
necessary to set standards of quality to meet the above responsibility effectively.
In India, we have standards of quality set by Prevention of Food Adulteration Act
and Bureau of Indian Standards. It is essential to meet the quality standards set by
the PFA before marketing of any dairy product.

PFA specifies that cream, excluding sterilized cream, is the product obtained from
cow milk or buffalo milk or a combination thereof, which contain not less than 25
per cent fat.

United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and World Health
Organization (WHO) have also specified quality standards for different products.
As regards cream FAO and WHO have specified standards for fat content in
designated cream for international marketing (Table 2.8.).

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Cream Table 2.8: Standards for cream for international marketing

Designation of Cream Per cent Milk Fat

FAO WHO
Cream 18-26 -
Pasteurized, sterilized
UHT cream - 18
Light cream coffee
cream More than 10 -
Half cream - 10-18
Whipping cream More than 28 28
Heavy Whipping cream - 35
Heavy cream More than 35 -
Double cream More than 45 45

2.9 LET US SUM UP

There are various grades of cream, which include half-and-half cream, low fat,
medium and heavy cream, etc. Composition of cream depends on its fat level. The
proportion of other constituents varies depending on the fat content of cream. PFA
specifies that cream, excluding sterilized cream, is the product obtained from cow
milk or buffalo milk or a combination thereof, which contains not less than 25 per
cent fat. United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and World Health
Organization have different quality standards for different cream products.

Low fat cream also called ‘market cream’, includes table cream, sterilized cream,
light-cream, coffee cream etc; and usually contains 12-25% fat. Sterilized cream
is also known as ‘table cream’ and is available to the consumers in a ready-to-use
form. . It has low whipping-ability. Its fat content ranges between 20-25% and
solids-not-fat content between 6.5- 9.5%. The desired characteristics of sterilized
cream include smooth body and texture, absence of lumps and no separation of
serum. The cream containing more than 40% fat is known as ‘manufacturer’s
cream’. It includes whipping cream, heavy cream, plastic cream, etc. Whipped
cream may be defined as a cream product containing air bubbles captured in a
network of fat globules. Cream containing more than 30% fat can be converted
into whipped cream by beating it with air to nearly double the volume of cream.
Whipping cream usually contains 28-35% fat while plastic cream contains 60-85%.
It has a pleasing flavour, good keeping quality, good whipping ability and stability
after whipping and used in cakes, ice creams and for decorative toppings. It is
available in small bottles, plastic cans or large cans. Plastic cream is a highly
viscous product than any other type of cream. It contains fat between 60-85%. It
is used directly for the manufacture of butter oil or in the preparation of standardized
milk. Plastic cream can be prepared by either re-separation of normal cream
containing 30-40% fat in a normal cream separator or by separating milk in a
specially designed plastic cream separator. Frozen cream, as the name suggests, is
the cream in frozen state. Freezing also helps to store surplus cream for use during
the period of shortage. Frozen cream is prepared by filling pasteurized and cooled
cream in containers, sealing and transferring the containers in a freezing chamber
maintained at a very low temperature (-20°C). Various freezing systems include
blast freezing chamber, plate freezers, rotating drum freezers and cryogenic freezing
tunnels. Frozen cream is used in the manufacture of ice cream, preparation of
recombined milk and cream soups. Sour cream is prepared by ripening or souring
of sweet cream to a titratable acidity of 0.60%, L.A with desirable lactic acid
30
bacteria namely, Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus cremoris and diacetyl lactis. It Preparation of Different
Types of Cream
has slightly acidic flavour and smooth texture. It is used in the preparation of
different foods and sometimes in drinks and beverages.

2.10 KEY WORDS

Sterilized cream : It is a smooth textured and ready-to-use cream
obtained by sterilizing cream. It is also referred
as ‘table cream’. It has long keeping quality.
Plastic cream : It is a highly viscous product with paste like
texture and containing fat between 60-85%.
Frozen cream : It is the cream in frozen state and is stored
below – 12°C.
Sour cream : It is a cream product, which is prepared by
ripening or souring of sweet cream to a
titratable acidity of 0.60%, LA with desirable
lactic acid bacteria like Streptococcus lactis,
Streptococcus cremoris and diacetyl lactis.
Whipping cream : It is a cream product containing air bubbles
captured in a network of fat globules.

2.11 SOME USEFUL BOOKS

De Sukumar (1980), Outlines of Dairy Technology, Oxford University Press, Delhi.

2.12 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Your answer should include following points:
Check Your Progress 1

1) i. To prevent rising of fat during sterilization and storage

ii. To prevent formation of a fat plug in the container.
iii. It also improves taste, whipping power and flocculation stability of the
product.
2) i. The objective of preparation of sterilized cream is to prolong the shelf life
of cream and make it available to the consumers in a ready-to-use form
and in good condition.
3) i. Re-separation of normal cream containing 30-40% fat in a normal cream
separator.
ii. Separating milk in a specially designed plastic cream separator to yield
high fat cream.
Check Your Progress 2

1) i. Frozen cream is prepared by freezing fresh and sweet cream while

freezing of sour cream gives frozen sour cream.
2) i. Str. lactis, Str. cremoris and diacetilactis.
3) i. Desired acidity in sour cream s 0.6 %.

31