Differences Between Milk-Containing Beverages and Dairy Products

Definitions and Classifications

1. Milk-Containing Beverages

   • Definition: Milk-containing beverages are beverages made from fresh milk or dairy products, either fermented or unfermented.
   • Classification: They are mainly divided into formulated milk-containing beverages and fermented milk-containing beverages. Formulated ones are made by adding water, sugar, sweeteners, acidifiers, fruit juice, etc., while fermented ones are produced through fermentation processes using fresh milk or dairy products as raw materials.
2. Dairy Products
   • Definition: Dairy products are foods made primarily from cow's milk or goat's milk and their processed products, with or without the addition of vitamins, minerals, and other auxiliaries.
   • Classification: Based on production processes, dairy products can be categorized into four major types: white milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products. White milk and yogurt belong to liquid milk, processed through purification, homogenization, sterilization, and packaging; butter and cheese are cheese categories, produced through separation, homogenization, pasteurization, and fermentation.

Raw Materials and Nutritional Content

1. Raw Materials
   • Milk-Containing Beverages: They include fresh milk or dairy products, water, sugar, flavors, food additives, etc. Only a portion of the raw material is milk, and the water content is usually high.
   • Dairy Products: The main raw material is fresh milk or dairy products, with some products possibly adding vitamins, minerals, etc., as auxiliaries.
2. Nutritional Content
   • Milk-Containing Beverages: Due to the high content of water and sugar, their nutritional value is relatively low. Although they contain some protein, it is generally not as abundant as in dairy products.
   • Dairy Products: They are rich in protein, fat, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients, making them highly nutritious foods.

Production Processes and Quality Control

1. Production Processes
   • Milk-Containing Beverages: The production process is relatively simple, mainly involving mixing and stirring various raw materials. Some products may require fermentation processes.
   • Dairy Products: The production process is more complex, involving multiple steps such as sterilization, concentration, drying, etc., to ensure product quality and safety. Some products, like cheese, also require fermentation and coagulation processes.
2. Quality Control
   • Milk-Containing Beverages: Quality control usually follows beverage industry standards, with relatively low requirements for nutrients like protein.
   • Dairy Products: They must strictly adhere to dairy industry standards for quality control, with strict requirements for nutrients such as protein and fat.

Labeling and Protein Content Requirements

1. Labeling
   • Milk-Containing Beverages: The product label usually indicates "milk-containing beverage" or "milk beverage" to distinguish it from dairy products.
   • Dairy Products: The product label usually indicates "dairy product" or the specific dairy product category (e.g., pure milk, yogurt).
2. Protein Content Requirements
   • Milk-Containing Beverages: The protein content requirement is not less than 1g per 100g of product (for lactic acid beverages, not less than 0.7g).
   • Dairy Products: The protein content requirement for pure milk and pure yogurt is not less than 2.9g per 100g; for flavored milk and flavored yogurt, it is not less than 2.3g per 100g.

In summary, milk-containing beverages and dairy products differ significantly in definitions, raw materials and nutritional content, production processes and quality control, as well as labeling and protein content requirements. Consumers should choose products suitable for their needs and health conditions when purchasing.