View source for Buttermilk

{{short description|Fermented dairy drink}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Buttermilk
| image            = Buttermilk-(right)-and-Milk-(left).jpg
| caption          = Milk (left) compared to buttermilk (right).  Buttermilk is thicker and leaves a more visible residue on the glass.
| alternate_name   = 
| country          = 
| national_cuisine = 
| creator          =
| course           = [[Drink|Beverage]]
| served           = Chilled
| main_ingredient  = [[Milk]]
| variations       = 
| calories         = 40
| serving_size     = 100 gram
| other            =
}}

{{nutritionalvalue | name=Buttermilk | kJ=169 | protein=3.3 g | fat=0.9 g | carbs=4.8 g | calcium_mg=116 |float=right}}

'''Buttermilk''' is a [[list of fermented milk products|fermented dairy drink]]. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning [[butter]] out of [[Microbial food cultures|cultured]] [[cream]]. As most modern butter in Western countries is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most modern buttermilk in Western countries is cultured separately. It is common in warm climates, where unrefrigerated milk [[soured milk|sours]] quickly.<ref name=ny1>{{cite news |title=Got Buttermilk? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/magazine/26food-t-000.html |first=Christine |last=Muhlke |newspaper=New York Times |date=April 22, 2009 }}</ref>

Buttermilk can be drunk straight, and it can also be used in cooking. In making [[soda bread]], the acid in buttermilk reacts with the raising agent, [[sodium bicarbonate]], to produce [[carbon dioxide]] which acts as the [[leavening agent]]. Buttermilk is also used in [[marination]], especially of [[Chicken (food)|chicken]] and [[pork]].

== Traditional buttermilk ==
Originally, buttermilk referred to the thin liquid left over from [[churning (butter)|churning]] [[butter]] from cultured or fermented [[cream]]. Traditionally, before the advent of [[Homogenization (chemistry)|homogenization]], the milk was left to sit for a period of time to allow the cream and milk to separate. During this time, naturally occurring [[lactic acid]]-producing bacteria in the milk fermented it. This facilitates the butter churning process, since fat from cream with a lower [[pH]] coalesces more readily than that of fresh cream. The acidic environment also helps prevent potentially harmful microorganisms from growing, increasing shelf life.<ref>{{cite web |last= Douma (Ed.) |first= Michael |title= Ripening to Ferment Milk Sugars to Lactic Acid |publisher= Webexhibits |date= June 14, 2007 |url= http://www.webexhibits.org/butter/culturing.html |access-date= 2008-12-31 }}</ref>

Traditional buttermilk is still common in many [[Arab]], [[India]]n, [[Nepal]]ese, [[Pakistan]]i, [[Finland|Finnish]], [[Polish people|Polish]], [[Dutch people|Dutch]], [[Germany|German]], [[Denmark|Danish]], and [[Austria|Austrian]] households, but rarely found in other Western countries. It is a common drink in many Indian and Nepalese homes, and often served with roasted [[maize]].<ref name="Fankhause" /> In Arab culture, buttermilk is commonly sold ice cold with other dairy products. It is popular during [[Ramadan]], when it is consumed during [[iftar]] and [[suhur]].

== Cultured buttermilk ==

Commercially available cultured buttermilk is milk that has been [[pasteurized]] and [[Homogenization (chemistry)|homogenized]], and then [[inoculation|inoculated]] with a culture of ''[[Lactococcus lactis]]'' or ''[[Lactobacillus bulgaricus]]'' plus ''[[Leuconostoc|Leuconostoc citrovorum]]'' to simulate the naturally occurring bacteria in the old-fashioned product.<ref name="Fankhause"/> The tartness of cultured buttermilk is primarily due to [[lactic acid]] produced by [[lactic acid bacteria]] while [[Fermentation (biochemistry)|fermenting]] [[lactose]], the primary sugar in milk. As the bacteria produce lactic acid, the [[pH]] of the milk decreases and [[casein]], the primary milk protein, [[Precipitation (chemistry)|precipitates]], causing the [[curdling]] or [[Clabber (food)|clabbering]] of milk, making cultured buttermilk thicker than plain milk.<ref>{{cite web | title=Buttermilk | website=BBC Good Food| url=https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/buttermilk-glossary | access-date=16 March 2024|quote=This commercial product can be thought of as a gentler, thinner yogurt, with any buttery flavour likely added.}}</ref> While both traditional and cultured buttermilk contain lactic acid, traditional buttermilk is thinner than cultured buttermilk.<ref name="Fankhause">{{cite web|last = Fankhause|first = David B.|title = Making Buttermilk|publisher = [[University of Cincinnati]] Clermont College|date = June 14, 2007|url = http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/BUTTERMILK.HTM|access-date = August 21, 2007|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070828061724/http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/BUTTERMILK.HTM|archive-date = August 28, 2007}}</ref>

=== United States ===

Cultured buttermilk was first commercially introduced in the United States in the 1920s. It was initially popular among immigrants, and was viewed as a food that could slow aging. It reached peak annual sales of 517,000,000&nbsp;kg (1.14 billion lbs.) in 1960. Buttermilk's popularity has declined since then, and annual sales in 2012 reached less than half that number.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2012/05/history_of_buttermilk_what_s_the_difference_between_cultured_buttermilk_and_traditional_buttermilk_.html |title=All Churned Around: How buttermilk lost its butter. |last=Anderson |first=L.V. |date=2012 |website=Slate |access-date=March 3, 2017 }}</ref>
However, condensed buttermilk and dried buttermilk remain important in the [[food industry]].<ref>{{cite journal | last= Hunziker | first=O F | author-link = Otto Frederick Hunziker | title = Utilization of Buttermilk in the form of Condensed and Dried Buttermilk | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | volume = 6 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–12 | publisher = American Dairy Science Association | date=  January 1, 1923 | url =http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/0022-0302/PIIS0022030223940579.pdf | access-date = 2010-10-26 | doi= 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(23)94057-9 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Liquid buttermilk is used primarily in the commercial preparation of [[Bakery|baked goods]] and [[cheese]].<ref>{{cite journal | url = https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(06)72115-4/pdf | format = PDF | title = Compositional and Functional Properties of Buttermilk: A Comparison Between Sweet, Sour, and Whey Buttermilk | first1 = I. | last1 = Sodini | first2 = P. | last2 = Morin | first3 = A. | last3 = Olabi | first4 = R. | last4 = Jiménez-Flores | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | date = February 2006 | volume = 89 | issue = 2 | pages = 525–536 | publisher = American Dairy Science Association | access-date = March 16, 2019 | doi=10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(06)72115-4| pmid = 16428621 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Buttermilk [[Milk solid|solids]] are used in [[ice cream]] manufacturing,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3802/is_v431/ai_11910994 |title=Dry buttermilk and nonfat dry milk price relationship |access-date=2008-06-28 |date=August 1991 |publisher=U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – Economic Research Service |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204111903/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3802/is_v431/ai_11910994 |archive-date=2008-12-04}}</ref> as well as being added to [[pancake mix]]es to make [[buttermilk pancake]]s. Home cooks can use powdered buttermilk to give baked goods a higher rise, add tang to dips, marinades, and rubs without thinning them out, and as a topping for fruits and vegetables.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Buttermilk Powder Is a Superhero Ingredient of Summer |url=https://www.thekitchn.com/buttermilk-powder-uses-23048264 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250211013358/https://www.thekitchn.com/buttermilk-powder-uses-23048264 |archive-date=2025-02-11 |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=Kitchn |language=en}}</ref>

== Acidified buttermilk ==
''Acidified buttermilk'' is a substitute made by adding a food-grade acid, such as [[Vinegar|white vinegar]] or lemon juice, to milk.<ref name="FDCh1P131">{{cite web
 | url = http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2010/aprqtr/pdf/21cfr131.3.pdf
 | title = Title 21 – Food and Drugs: Chapter I, Part 131 Milk and Cream
 | access-date = 2010-10-26
 | date = April 1, 2007
 | publisher = Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR)
}}</ref> It can be produced by mixing {{tbspUS|1}} of acid with {{cups|1|US}} of milk and letting it sit until it curdles after about 10 minutes. Any level of fat content for the milk ingredient may be used, but whole milk is usually used for baking.

== Nutrition ==
Commercially produced buttermilk is comparable to regular milk in terms of [[food energy]] and fat. One cup (237&nbsp;mL) of whole milk contains {{convert|157|kcal|kJ|order=flip|abbr=off}} and 8.9 grams of fat. One cup of whole buttermilk contains {{convert|152|kcal|kJ|order=flip|abbr=on}} and 8.1 grams of total fat. Low-fat buttermilk is also available.<ref name=calory>{{cite web|last=Filippone|first=Peggy Trowbridge|title=Buttermilk health benefits|url=http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhealthinformation/a/buttermilkhelth.htm|access-date=October 13, 2013|archive-date=July 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160726011732/http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhealthinformation/a/buttermilkhelth.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Buttermilk contains vitamins, potassium, calcium, and traces of [[phosphorus]].<ref name=aparna>{{cite news| last=Aparna| first=Karthikeyan| title=Buttermilk, the best bet |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/buttermilk-the-best-bet/article3415184.ece|access-date=October 13, 2013|date=May 13, 2012| location=Chennai, India| work=The Hindu}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Butterfat]], the fatty portion from which butter is made
* [[Creole cream cheese]], traditional Louisiana cheese made from buttermilk
* [[List of dairy products]]
* [[Ranch dressing]], a buttermilk-based salad dressing
* [[Sarasson]], a cheese spread made from buttermilk
* [[Soured milk]], denotes a range of food products produced by the acidification of milk
* [[Whey]], the liquid left over after producing cheese
* [[Curd]], Dairy product obtained by coagulating milk. 

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [https://fankhauserblog.wordpress.com/1998/07/20/making-buttermilk-illustrated/ Making cultured buttermilk]

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