It is easy to appreciate the evolution that has taken place with the traditional glass of milk when we consider the vast array of dairy products available today. Thanks to new technological advancements in the isolation/extraction of milk components, milk can now be "eaten," rehydrated, sliced and even spread. A complete, rich, complex and multifunctional food, milk gives life-sustaining nourishment to newborns babies.

Monterey Jack and Colby cheeses are semi-firm washed cheeses that undergo similar preparation procedures. Monterey Jack is softer, creamier and whiter than Colby, and has a slightly nutty and tangy flavour.Monterey Jack is rumoured to have been created by Spanish monks inMonterey County, California, in the 18thcentury; however, like all great inventions, several other stories of its origin can be found. This cheese is also referred to as Monterey cheese, Jack cheese and California Jack cheese.

The first step in the creation of mozzarella cheese is pasteurization of the milk. Mozzarella is a fresh cheese, consumed without aging and so milk used must be pasteurized to ensure the safety of the cheese. Once the cheesemilk is prepared, starter culture is added to generate lactic acid from lactose and this acid production, along with activity of added rennet, serves to produce the casein coagulum.

In the search for ways to prevent milk spoilage in the hot climate of South Asia and find uses for surplus milk, a number of products have been developed, including Paneer. Paneer, (also called Panir), is a soft, unripened "home made cheese" (cottage cheese-like product modelled into large chunks), traditionally made from buffalo's milk. A dairy product that is particular to the Indian/Pakistani cultures, Paneer is also produced in Canada using cow's milk.

Italy is a country rich in food specialties that qualify for the prestigious guarantee "Appellation d'origine" (registered designation of origin). As one of the most valued and common cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano is the essential ingredient of Italian cuisine. Originating in ancient Italy, its quality characteristics and reputation were already being celebrated at that time.

Ricotta is a heat/acid precipitated cheese that can be made from whole or skim milk. A related product called ricotone is made in a similar fashion from a mixture of milk and whey. Raw milk can be used as the starting material for the production of ricotta cheese as the heat treatment during curd formation more than meets the heat requirements for pasteurization. In the first step of the process acid is added to the milk to lower the pH to 5.9-6.0.

Romano is a hard, flavourful grating cheese related to parmesan. Different types of romano cheese are available depending on whether the cheesemilk originated from cows, goats or sheep. The milk used to produce romano cheese is typically defatted to a level just above 2% fat. The milk can be pasteurized (most common approach) or raw since the final product has a long aging time. Once the cheesemilk is prepared, starter culture and rennet paste are added.

Nonfat dry milk is a product that is created when water is removed from pasteurized nonfat milk. By depriving microorganisms of the water which they require in order to develop, drying allows skim milk powder to have a shelf life of up to 3 years if stored properly. It contains lactose, milk proteins and minerals in the same relative proportions as the fresh milk from which it was made. Skim milk powder is by far the most common type of milk powder available.

Sweet and condensed milk (or sweetened condensed milk) is produced when sweetened milk is condensed to half its volume by removing part of the moisture in a vacuum evaporator. In order to ensure its preservation, sugar is added either at the beginning or during the concentration process. The high content of sugar in the resulting product increases the osmotic pressure to such a level that most of the microorganisms are destroyed. Thus, no sterilization takes place after canning or packaging.