The main difference between buttermilk and sour milk is that buttermilk is the liquid that remains when the fat has been removed from cream in the making of butter, but in contrast, sour milk is milk made via acidification.
Buttermilk and sour milk are two dairy products that have a slightly sour and acidic flavour. Although these are very similar products, often serve as substitutes for each other, there are some differences between buttermilk and sour milk.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Buttermilk
– Definition, Production, Uses
2. What is Sour Milk
– Definition, Features
3. Similarities Between Buttermilk and Sour Milk
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Buttermilk and Sour Milk
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Buttermilk, Sour Milk
What is Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product produced from cow’s milk, with a distinctive sour taste. Despite its name, buttermilk has no butter and is lower in fat than regular milk. The name buttermilk comes from the origins of this milk. Traditionally, buttermilk is the liquid that remains when the fat separates from the cream during butter churning. During the traditional butter churning process, we leave the milk to sit for some period of time, allowing the milk and cream to separate. During this period of time, naturally occurring lactic acid-producing bacteria in the milk fermented it.
Figure 01: Buttermilk (Right) and Milk (Left)
You can drink buttermilk or use it in cooking. It is a popular beverage in countries like India, Pakistan and Nepal. Buttermilk is also useful in baking. It adds a tangy flavour and creamy richness to both sweet and savoury products and enhances the leavening process. For example, when making soda bread, the acid in buttermilk reacts with sodium bicarbonate and produces carbon dioxide, which acts as a leavening agent.
However, the buttermilk we find in grocery stores is different from the traditional buttermilk. Today, most buttermilk is manufactured through an industrial process. These are cultured buttermilk, i.e., milk that has been pasteurized and homogenized and then inoculated with a specific bacterial culture to simulate the naturally occurring bacteria. Moreover, the tart flavour of cultured buttermilk comes from lactic acid produced by lactic acid bacteria while fermenting lactose.
What is Sour Milk
Sour milk or soured milk is a dairy product we can obtain from the acidification of milk. You can acidify the milk either through fermentation or through adding an acid like vinegar or lemon juice. The acid causes milk to coagulate and thicken; this inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and enhances the milk’s shelf life. Moreover, the process of acidification gives the milk a tartness.
Figure 2: Sour Milk
Sour milk is a good substitute for yoghurt, buttermilk or sour cream. Also, note that sour milk is not the same as spoiled milk, which has gone bad naturally. Milk that has gone sour naturally is unsafe to use.
Similarities Between Buttermilk and Sour Milk
- Buttermilk is a good substitute for sour milk and vice versa.
- Moreover, both have a slightly sour, acidic taste.
Difference Between Buttermilk and Sour Milk
Definition
Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product produced from cow’s milk, with a distinctive sour taste while sour milk or soured milk is a dairy product produced from the acidification of milk.
Production
Traditionally, buttermilk is the liquid that remains when the fat has been removed from cream when butter is being made. Commercial manufacture of buttermilk involves pasteurizing and homogenization, and then inoculation with a specific bacterial culture to simulate the naturally occurring bacteria. Sour milk, on the other hand, can be produced either through fermentation or through adding an acid like vinegar or lemon juice.
Drinking
Traditional buttermilk is consumed as a drink, while sour milk is not used as a drink.
Conclusion
The main difference between buttermilk and sour milk is that buttermilk is the liquid that remains when the fat has been removed from cream when butter is being made while sour milk is milk made via acidification. Traditional buttermilk is consumed as a drink, while sour milk is not used as a drink.
Reference:
1. “Buttermilk.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Aug. 2020, Available here.
2. “Soured Milk.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Aug. 2020, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Buttermilk-(right)-and-Milk-(left)” By Ukko-wc – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Sour Milk – you better not touching it” By Clemson (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
Leave a Reply