Anhydrous Milk Fat (AMF): The butter oil that’s used extensively across several food processing industries
Anhydrous Milk Fat (AMF) is the preferred choice of butter oil for many food processing industries. Butter oil is the fat that’s obtained from pasteurized cream. This cream (often called sweet cream) is churned with a centrifuge to separate the butterfat from the buttermilk. Butter oil contains around 99% pure butterfat while the remaining 1% is made of milk solids, including casein and whey protein. AMF is obtained by removing the moisture content from the butter oil and making it completely anhydrous, hence the name.
The food processing industry extensively uses AMF for its properties like good flavor stability, oxidative stability, and uniform texture in the desired end-product. AMF has a unique taste and aroma profile when compared to other oils or butter. This feature makes it an ideal ingredient for several bakery, confectionery, packaging, and dairy industries. From chocolate cookies to margarine and ice cream, this multi-purpose fat is widely used across various food products worldwide.
Properties of Anhydrous Milk Fat
AMF contributes to the smoothness and mouthfeel of the end product due to its uniform texture. It has a high melting point that makes it an exceptional ingredient for baking goods that need to withstand a specific temperature. AMF’s solid form helps to make it an ideal ingredient for the preparation of plastic fats and margarines. In addition, it also acts as a natural preservative against oxidation in food products. It reduces the shelf-life of the product, and hence there is no need for artificial preservatives.
Benefits of using Anhydrous Milk Fat in Food Products
AMF is a natural source of high-fat content that makes it an ideal ingredient for food products like chocolate and other confectionery items. The fat distribution in AMF makes it perfect for controlling the texture of bakery items. Its unique flavor profile and aroma enhance the taste of several food products like baked goods, chocolate, and ice-cream. AMF also has high levels of vitamins and minerals, and it’s an exceptional source of fat soluble vitamins like vitamin D and vitamin A.
Applications of Anhydrous Milk Fat
AMF is used in several food products like bakery, confectionery items, and chocolate. Here are some of its significant applications in the food industry.
Bakery items: AMF is used to provide texture and taste to bakery items, including biscuits, cakes, cookies, and so on. It is often used to replace shortening and hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Confectionery items: AMF is an essential component for producing chocolate fillings, icings, and soft candy. The unique flavor and aroma of AMF enhance the premium taste of the final product.
Dairy products: AMF is often used as an ingredient in producing white butter, ghee, and cheese to enhance their taste and texture.
Packaging industry: AMF is known for its excellent oxidative stability, and hence it’s used in the packaging industry to protect food products from rancidity.
Difference between AMF and Butter
Butter and Anhydrous Milk Fat are both made from pasteurized cream. However, the critical difference between the two is the moisture content. while butter contains around 18-20% moisture content, AMF is completely anhydrous. AMF is the solid form of butter oil, whereas butter is semi-solid or soft. Due to its high moisture content, butter has a relatively short shelf-life that can be extended by converting it into AMF.
In conclusion, Anhydrous Milk Fat’s unique properties like uniform texture, high melting point, flavor stability, and oxidative stability make it a preferred choice of butter oil for several food processing industries. Its versatility and exceptional taste make it an ideal ingredient for baked goods, confectionery items, dairy products, and several other food applications. The demand for Anhydrous Milk Fat in the food industry shows no signs of slowing down, and it’s expected to grow at a steady pace in the coming years.