148 Milk and Its Products 



Quality of cream. The most unsatisfactory thing 

 about the sale of cream, commercially, is its varying 

 percentage of fat. Since cream is merely milk into 

 which a greater or less proportion of fat has been 

 gathered, it follows that cream may be anything 

 that the seller can induce the puchaser to accept 

 under that name, and may contain anywhere from 6 

 or 8 up to 60 or 70 per cent of fat. Where cream 

 is raised by the gravity process it will contain from 

 18 to 22 per cent of fat ; but where it is separated 

 by centrifugal process the separator can be so 

 adjusted as to take cream of almost any fat con- 

 tent desired. 



A moderately heavy cream is quite as useful and 

 desirable for table and domestic purposes as one ex- 

 cessively rich in butter -fat. The United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture has recommended a minimum 

 standard of 18 per cent fat for cream for commer- 

 cial purposes. Such a cream is rich enough for most 

 table and domestic use, and is one that can easily 

 be produced by a gravity process. Very many state 

 laws have recognized the federal standard, though 

 other standards are also in force (see Appendix C). 



