156 MARKET DAIRYING 
age, buttermilk is usually appreciated only for its palata- 
bility. Aside from this, however, it has a high dietetic, 
as well as high medicinal, value. In certain diseases, 
especially those affecting the alimentary tract, buttermilk 
is considered indispensable. Its nutritive value is high, 
two quarts being approximately equal to one pound of 
good beefsteak. 
Buttermilk From Pasteurized Skim-milk. The best 
buttermilk is obtained by adding the starter to pasteurized 
skim-milk. Under such conditions the entire skim-milk 
becomes virtually a starter or pure culture of lactic acid 
bacteria. This not only means a better flavor but also 
insures freedom from pathogenic organisms. Pasteuriza- 
tion also lessens the tendency for the whey to separate. 
