Buttermilk is a coproduct of butter making. It is the liquid resulting from butter manufacturing, and is mainly composed of water, lactose, proteins and minerals. It is a whitish liquid extracted from the churn or continuous buttermaking machines during phase inversion. Buttermilk composition is closed to skimmed milk composition.
Buttermilk may be dried to obtain buttermilk powder. This ingredient is particularly liked for its emulsifier properties (thanks to a rich phospholipids content) and its peculiar taste. Buttermilk powder has many uses in dietetics, industrial pastry and feed.
Buttermilk powder is manufactured from sweet or acidified buttermilk. Sweet buttermilk is usually preferred because it is more stable.
Buttermilk is first pasteurised then concentrated with an evaporator. It is finally dried (preferably spray dried).
Buttermilk powder has a low fat content and is a very good source of proteins. Protein composition of buttermilk powder is the same as skimmed milk, however fat content in buttermilk powder is slightly higher than in skimmed milk powder. Buttermilk powder is also a source of calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin and B12-vitamin.
Buttermilk powder is a substitute to skimmed milk powder with interesting organoleptic and rheological properties:
- Genuine dairy taste, dairy flavour and smell, buttermilk powder enhances dairy flavour
- Good solubility (when powder is spray dried)
- Specific emulsifier capacity
- Skimmed milk powder substitute
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