Dairy products come in many forms, from butter to cheese to whipped cream to, most importantly, milk.

Milk is the root of many dairy products, and can be used to make all kinds of other types of dairy products.

The following infographic details the relationship between different dairy products and milk. Some of these relationships, like turning milk into yogurt, can be done on your own with relative ease. Others, like turning milk into some kinds of cheese, require a lot of precise equipment.

Interesting to note, due to how these dairy products are made, their nutritional content will differ from pure milk. For example, a serving of cheese has much more of everything (fat, calories, sodium, vitamins etc.) than an equal serving of milk. Remember that “derived from” does not mean “exactly the same as.”

Infographic Summary

Separate the Solids

If you add Rennet or an acid, you will be left with:

• Solids: The solids are called Curds. If the curds are strained and salted, you can make Pressed or Fresh Cheese
  • Pressed Cheese can be further processed using Age, Mold, or a Brine
  • Aging creates cheeses such as Havarti, Gouda, Cheddar and Parmesan
  • Examples of cheeses using Mold include: Brie and Blue Cheese
  • A Brine is used to create cheeses such as Feta
  • Fresh Cheeses include: Mozzerella, Cottage Cheese, and Paneer
• Liquid: This liquid is called Whey and it can be further heated to produce Ricotta

Skim Off The Fat

If you skim off the fat, you will be left with:

• Skim Milk
• Cream: This can be further process by Beating, Churning, or Souring
  • When beat, it can result in Whipped Cream
  • If Churned, it can result in Buttermilk or Butter
  • If Soured, it can result in things such as: Crème Fraîche, Sour Cream, or Cream Cheese

Ferment With Probiotic Bacteria

If milk is fermented with probiotic bacteria, it will result in products such as: Cultured Buttermilk, Yogurt, and Kifir. If yogurt is further Strained, the result is Greek Yogurt.