This dairy and meat science terminology, presented in alphabetical order from A to Z. Each term is accompanied by a brief definition to provide clarity on its relevance to dairy and meat science. This glossary covers the broad scope of dairy and meat science, including milk production, milk and meat processing, dairy and meat products, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, and related technical aspects.
A
- A1 and A2 beta-casein: Variants of the beta-casein protein in milk, with A2 potentially linked to easier digestion.
- Abattoir: A facility where animals are slaughtered for meat production.
- Acid whey: Whey produced from acid-coagulated cheese, such as cottage cheese.
- Acidity: Measure of lactic acid content in milk or dairy products, affecting flavor and stability.
- Actin: A protein involved in muscle contraction, important in meat texture.
- Adulteration: Illegal addition of substances to milk or meat to increase volume or alter composition.
- Aflatoxin M1: Toxin in milk derived from aflatoxin B1 in contaminated cow feed.
- Aging (Meat): Process of storing meat to enhance tenderness and flavor through enzymatic breakdown.
- Aging (Dairy): Ripening process of cheese to develop flavor and texture.
- Alkaline phosphatase test: Test to verify proper pasteurization by checking enzyme inactivation.
- Alpha-lactalbumin: Major whey protein in milk, important in lactose synthesis.
- Amino acids: Building blocks of proteins, essential for nutrition in both dairy and meat.
- Anhydrous milk fat (AMF): Pure milk fat with water and non-fat solids removed.
- Antibiotics: Medications used in dairy cows and livestock that may leave residues in milk or meat.
- Aseptic processing: Sterilization of milk and packaging to extend shelf life without refrigeration.
- Automatic milking systems (AMS): Robotic systems for milking cows, enhancing efficiency.
B
- Babcock test: Method to measure fat content in milk using acid digestion.
- Bacteria: Microorganisms in dairy and meat, beneficial (e.g., in fermentation) or harmful (pathogens).
- Beef: Meat from cattle, a primary source of red meat.
- Beta-casein: Type of casein protein in milk, influencing milk properties.
- Beta-lactoglobulin: Major whey protein, affecting milk’s functional properties.
- Biofilm: Layer of microorganisms on dairy or meat processing equipment, posing contamination risks.
- Bovine: Relating to cattle, the primary source of dairy milk and beef.
- Bovine somatotropin (BST): Hormone used to increase milk production in cows.
- Brucellosis: Bacterial disease in cattle transmissible to humans via milk or undercooked meat.
- Bulk tank: Large on-farm tank for storing milk before transportation.
- Butter: Dairy product made by churning cream to separate fat.
- Butterfat: Fat content in milk, a key quality indicator.
C
- Calcium: Essential mineral abundant in milk, vital for bone health.
- Carcass: The body of a slaughtered animal after removal of offal.
- Casein: Primary milk protein, critical for cheese production.
- Centrifugation: Process using a centrifuge to separate cream from milk.
- Charcuterie: Branch of cooking focused on prepared meat products, such as sausages and pâtés.
- Cheese: Dairy product made by coagulating milk proteins into curds.
- Chymosin: Enzyme (rennet) used to coagulate milk in cheese making.
- Clarification: Removal of impurities from milk before processing.
- Coagulation: Clumping of milk proteins, a key step in cheese production.
- Cold chain: Temperature-controlled supply chain critical for both dairy and meat products.
- Coliforms: Bacteria indicating potential fecal contamination in milk or meat.
- Collagen: Protein in connective tissue, affecting meat tenderness.
- Colostrum: First milk produced post-calving, rich in antibodies and nutrients.
- Condensed milk: Milk with water removed, often sweetened for preservation.
- Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): Fatty acid in dairy and meat with potential health benefits.
- Cottage cheese: Fresh cheese with a mild flavor and curd texture.
- Cream: High-fat layer separated from milk for various products.
- Curing: Preservation process using salt, nitrates, or smoking to extend meat shelf life.
- Cultured products: Dairy fermented with bacteria, e.g., yogurt or sour cream.
- Curd: Solid component of coagulated milk, used in cheese making.
D
- Dairy farm: Facility where milk is produced from dairy animals.
- Deboning: Process of removing bones from meat carcasses.
- Dehorning: Removal of horns from cattle for safety and management.
- Denaturation: Alteration of protein structure (e.g., by heat) in dairy or meat processing.
- Dry aging: Method of aging meat in controlled humidity to enhance flavor.
- Dry matter: Solid content in milk or feed, excluding water.
- Dry period: Non-lactating phase for cows before calving to recover.
E
- Emulsification: Blending fat and water, as in homogenized milk or processed meat products.
- Enzyme: Proteins catalyzing reactions, e.g., lactase in milk digestion or proteases in meat tenderization.
- Escherichia coli (E. coli): Bacterium that can contaminate milk or meat, indicating hygiene issues.
- Evaporated milk: Milk with ~60% water removed, shelf-stable.
- Exsanguination: Draining of blood from an animal during slaughter.
- Extended shelf life (ESL): Milk processed to last longer than standard pasteurized milk.
F
- Fat globule: Small fat droplets in milk, stabilized by a membrane.
- Fatty acids: Components of fats in dairy and meat, influencing flavor and nutrition.
- Fermentation: Bacterial conversion of lactose to lactic acid in dairy or used in processed meats.
- Filtration: Removal of particles from milk using filters.
- Fortification: Addition of nutrients (e.g., vitamin D) to milk.
- Freezing: Preservation method for meat and dairy products to extend shelf life.
G
- Gelatin: Protein derived from collagen, used in dairy desserts and meat products.
- Ghee: Clarified butter, a traditional dairy fat product.
- Globular proteins: Protein type in milk, including whey proteins.
- Goat milk: Milk from goats, differing in composition from cow milk.
- Grading (Meat): Classification of meat quality based on marbling, maturity, and other factors.
- Grading (Dairy): Quality assessment of milk based on standards.
- Grass-fed: Animals primarily fed grass, impacting milk and meat composition.
- Guernsey: Dairy cattle breed known for high butterfat milk.
H
- HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points): System ensuring safety in dairy and meat production.
- Halal: Meat prepared according to Islamic dietary laws.
- Heat treatment: Application of heat to milk or meat to eliminate pathogens.
- Holstein: Dominant dairy cattle breed, high milk yield.
- Homogenization: Process breaking fat globules to prevent cream separation in milk.
- Hormones: Substances (e.g., BST in dairy, growth hormones in meat production) influencing production.
I
- Ice cream: Frozen dairy dessert made from a milk-based mix.
- Immunoglobulins: Antibodies in milk, especially high in colostrum.
- Inoculation: Addition of starter cultures to milk for fermentation or to meat for curing.
- Intramuscular fat: Fat within muscle tissue, known as marbling in meat.
J
- Jersey: Dairy cattle breed with milk high in butterfat.
- Junket: Milk-based dessert coagulated with rennet.
K
- Kefir: Fermented milk drink with probiotic content.
- Kosher (Dairy): Dairy products compliant with Jewish dietary laws.
- Kosher (Meat): Meat prepared according to Jewish dietary laws, including specific slaughter methods.
- Kulfi: Traditional Indian frozen dairy dessert.
L
- Lactalbumin: Whey protein in milk, nutritionally significant.
- Lactase: Enzyme breaking down lactose into digestible sugars.
- Lactation: Period of milk production in dairy animals.
- Lactoferrin: Milk protein with antimicrobial properties.
- Lactose: Natural sugar in milk, source of energy.
- Lactose intolerance: Condition where lactose digestion is impaired.
- Listeria: Pathogenic bacterium that can contaminate dairy and meat products.
- Loin: Cut of meat from the back of the animal, often tender and valuable.
M
- Mammary gland: Milk-producing organ in dairy animals (udder in cows).
- Marbling: Intramuscular fat in meat, enhancing flavor and tenderness.
- Mastitis: Udder inflammation, reducing milk quality and yield.
- Meat: Flesh of animals used as food, including beef, pork, poultry, and others.
- Membrane processing: Techniques (e.g., ultrafiltration) to separate milk components.
- Microfiltration: Filtration to remove bacteria from milk.
- Milk: Nutrient-rich liquid from mammary glands, basis of dairy science.
- Milk fat: Lipid component of milk, key to product texture.
- Mozzarella: Soft cheese commonly used in pizza.
- Myoglobin: Oxygen-binding protein in muscle tissue, affecting meat color.
N
- Nanofiltration: Membrane process to concentrate milk components.
- Natural cheese: Cheese made directly from milk, unprocessed.
- Nisin: Antimicrobial peptide used in dairy and meat preservation.
- Nitrites: Compounds used in meat curing to prevent bacterial growth and enhance color.
- Nonfat dry milk: Powdered skim milk, used in food production.
- Nutrient density: Concentration of nutrients per calorie in dairy and meat.
O
- Offal: Internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal, often used in specialty dishes.
- Organic milk: Milk from cows raised under organic farming standards.
- Organic meat: Meat from animals raised under organic standards, without synthetic hormones or antibiotics.
- Osmosis: Water movement across membranes, relevant in dairy and meat processing.
P
- Pasteurization: Heat treatment killing pathogens in milk or applied to some meat products.
- Pathogens: Disease-causing microorganisms in dairy and meat.
- pH: Acidity level, critical in dairy fermentation and meat processing.
- Pork: Meat from pigs, a major source of meat globally.
- Poultry: Domesticated birds raised for meat, such as chicken and turkey.
- Primal cuts: Large sections of meat initially separated from the carcass during butchering.
- Probiotics: Beneficial bacteria in fermented dairy products.
- Processed cheese: Cheese blended with emulsifiers and other ingredients.
- Processed meat: Meat altered through curing, smoking, or other methods.
- Proteolysis: Protein breakdown during cheese ripening or meat tenderization.
Q
- Quark: Fresh, soft cheese popular in Europe.
- Quality control: Procedures ensuring safety and standards in dairy and meat products.
R
- Raw milk: Unpasteurized milk, retaining natural properties.
- Raw meat: Uncooked meat, requiring proper handling to prevent contamination.
- Rennet: Enzyme coagulating milk for cheese production.
- Reverse osmosis: Membrane process removing water from milk.
- Rigor mortis: Stiffening of muscles after slaughter, affecting meat quality.
- Ruminant: Animals like cows with multi-chambered stomachs, relevant to both dairy and meat production.
S
- Salmonella: Pathogenic bacterium that can contaminate dairy and meat.
- Sanitation: Cleaning practices in dairy and meat facilities to prevent contamination.
- Separator: Device separating cream from milk.
- Shelf life: Duration a dairy or meat product remains safe and quality.
- Slaughter: Process of killing animals for meat production.
- Smoking: Preservation and flavoring method for meat.
- Somatic cell count (SCC): Indicator of udder health in milk.
- Sour cream: Cream fermented with lactic acid bacteria.
- Spray drying: Method to produce milk powder by evaporating water.
- Standardization: Adjusting milk fat content for consistency.
- Starter culture: Bacteria initiating fermentation in dairy or meat products.
- Sterilization: Complete microbial elimination in milk or canned meat products.
T
- Teat: Nipple of the udder, milk exit point.
- Tenderization: Process of making meat softer, often through aging or mechanical means.
- Thermization: Mild heat treatment preserving milk qualities.
- Total solids: Non-water content of milk.
- Tuberculosis: Cattle disease affecting milk and meat safety.
U
- Udder: Milk-producing gland in dairy cattle.
- Ultra-filtration: Membrane process concentrating milk proteins.
- Ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing: High-heat sterilization for long shelf life in dairy or meat products.
- Unsaturated fat: Type of fat in milk and meat, beneficial in moderation.
V
- Vacuum packaging: Method extending shelf life of dairy and meat by removing air.
- Veal: Meat from young calves, known for its tenderness.
- Viscosity: Thickness of dairy liquids or meat emulsions, affecting texture.
- Vitamin D: Nutrient often fortified in milk.
W
- Water activity: Moisture availability affecting shelf life in dairy and meat.
- Whey: Liquid byproduct of cheese making, rich in proteins.
- Whey proteins: Proteins in whey, e.g., lactalbumin, lactoglobulin.
- Whipping cream: High-fat cream for aeration.
X
- Xanthan gum: Stabilizer in some dairy and meat products for texture.
Y
- Yeast: Microorganisms used in certain fermented dairy and meat products.
- Yogurt: Fermented milk product with live cultures.
- Yield: Milk volume produced by a dairy animal or meat yield from a carcass.
Z
- Zebu: Cattle breed used for milk and meat in tropical regions.
- Zoonosis: Diseases transmissible from dairy animals or meat to humans.
