CHAPTER VI 

 CREAM 



56. Composition of Cream. — Cream is character- 

 ized by containing a higher percentage of fat than 

 milk. Average cream contains from 18 to 25 per 

 cent of fat ; some samples may contain as low as 

 8 per cent and others as high as 50 per cent. From 

 75 to 85 per cent of the solid matter of cream is fat. 

 The percentage of ash, sugar, casein, and albumin is 

 slightly less than in milk. The composition of 

 average cream is about as follows : — 



Per cent 



Water 66.41 



Solids . 33.59 



Fat 25.72 



Casein and albumin 8.70 



' Milk sugar 3.54 



Ash 0.63 



Cream is spoken of as thick, medium, or thin, accord- 

 ing to its fat content ; thin cream contains from 8 

 to 15 per cent of fat, and thick cream above 35 per 

 cent. One hundred pounds of milk will produce 

 from 15 to 22 pounds of cream, depending upon the 

 way in which the cream is obtained, and also upon 

 the composition of the milk. In many states and 



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