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AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE· UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA 
-Editor: V.S. Packard "April 1, 1981; No. 80 
Extension Specialist, Dairy Products 
The Federal Register of January 1981 carried the FDA's final rule for 
Standards of Identity for several dairy products. Included were acidified 
and cultured milk, lowfat milk, and skim milk. Also included were yogurt, 
lowfat yogurt, nonfat yogurt, and eggnog: ' Allowance for objections to the 
rules closed on March 2. 1981. Some changes mav vet occur. but doubtless 
only minor ones. Thus, a coverage of the major provisions appears worth-
while. 
ACIDIFIED MILK, LOWFAT MILK, AND SKIM MILK 
Standards of Identity for acidified products allow their manufacture 
with or without addition of bacterial cultures. All products, whether milk, 
lowfat, or skim, must contain at least 8.25 percent solids-not-fat (SNF). 
Acidified milk must carry not less than 3.25 percent fat. The lowfat pro-
duct may vary in fat content from 0.5 to 2.0 percent, but it must be labeled 
to the nearest 0.5 percent fat. Acidified skim milk need only contain less 
than 0.5 percent fat. 
In all these products, the minimum titratable acidity is not less than 
0.5 percent, calculated as lactic acid. Citric acid (or equivalent sodium 
citrate) cannot exceed 0.15 percent by weight of the milk product. 
Vitamins A and D can be added on an optional basis. If added, vitamin A 
must be present to a level of 2000 International Units per quart, vitamin D 
to a level of 400 International Units per quart. 
A number of acidifying agents are allowed. These include adipic acid, 
citric acid, fumaric acid, glucono-delta-lactone, hydrochloric acid, lactic 
acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, succinic acid, and tartaric acid. 
Provisions are made for the addition of flavoring compounds, stabilizers, 
and nutritive sweeteners. Coloring, too, may be added if it do e s not impart 
the color of milkfat. 
A number of optional ingredients are allowed, such as concentrated skim 
milk, buttermilk, whey, lactose, lactalbumin, lactoglobulins, etc. However, 
use of such optional ingredients must not lower the Protein Efficiency Ratio 
(PER) or the ratio of protein to total nonfat solids. 
The food name is Acidified Milk (Lowfat Milk, Skim Milk) if no charac-
terizing microbial cultures are added. With added cultures, the name may 
specify such, for example, Acidified Kefir Milk or Acidified Acidophilus Milk. 
When appropriate flavor and aroma cultures are added, the food may be called 
Acidified (Milk,Lowfat, Skim }lilk/Norfat) Buttermilk. The above products are 
either pasteurized or ultra-pasteuri/ ~d . 
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRI CU TURE, AND MINNESOTA COUNTIES COOPERATING 
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CULTURED MILK, LOWFAT MILK, SKIM MILK 
All the above standards apply to cultured products except that the acidity 
must be developed entirely by addition and growth of suitable microbial cultures. 
Addition of optional ingredients must be made prior to culturing so that all 
major ingredients undergo this process. The name of the food then becomes 
Cultured (Milk, Lowfat Milk, Skim Milk/Nonfat Milk). Characterizing cultures, 
such as kefir or acidophilus, also may be named when present. 
YOGURT PRODUCTS 
Three classes of yogurt are recogniz~d under the standards. These are 
yogurt, lowfat yogurt, and nonfat yog'urt:"" . Amount of milkfat marks the only 
difference among them. Resoectivelv. these levPls are 3. 25 . 0.5- 2.0 and 
less than 0.5 percent, the same as their acidified or cultured product'counter-
parts. In addition, bulky flavors are allowed. When used, however, it is only 
necessary that the milkfat standards be met prior to addition of the bulky 
flavors. NOTE: FDA will sample and analyze the base mix at the plant, and 
therefore, not the finished, bulky flavored product. 
To be classified as yogurt, the products must be cultured with Lactobacillus 
bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The products may or may not be heat-
treated after culturing. But when such heating is rendered to increase shelf 
life, a parenthetical expression stating "heat-treated after culturing" must 
follow the food name. 
Similar to acidified and cultured milk products, yogurt products are 
allowed presence of a number of optional dairy or dairy-derived ingredients. 
In the same way, use of such ingredients must not lower either the PER or ratio 
of protein to SNF. 
Not less than 0.9 percent titratable acidity (calculated as lactic acid) 
is allowed in yogurt products. No provision is made for addition of vitamins 
A and D. However, yogurt products are permitted to contain nutritive carbohydrate 
sweeteners, flavoring ingredients, color additives, and stabilizers. The name 
of the foods are Yogurt, Lowfat Yogurt (with declaration to the nearest 0. 5 
percent of the amount of milkfat), and Nonfat Yogurt . 
EGGNOG 
Standard of Identity of Eggnog requires a minimum of 6 percent milkfat , 
8.25 percent SNF, and not less than one percent of egg yolk solids b y weight 
of finished product. The food may be -homogenized and must either be given 
pasteurization or ultra-pasteurization treatment. 
A number of optional dairy and dairy-derived ingredients are allowed, but 
with no reduction in PER or ratio of protein to SNF. Salt, flavoring , color 
additives , and stabilizers may be added : The food name is "Eggnog." Label 
declaration states use of either pasteurization or ultra-pasteurization treat-
ment and also application of homogenization . 
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Product: than Maximum 
Acidified Milk 3.25 8.25 0.5 0.15 Opt. yes yes yes 
Cultured Milk 3.25 8.25 0.5 0.15 Opt. yes yes yes 
Acidified Lowfat 0.5-2.0 8.25 0.5 0.15 Opt. yes yes yes 
Milk 
-' Cultured Lowfat 0.5-2.0 8.25 0.5 0.15 Opt. yes yes yes 
Milk 
Acidified Skim Milk <0.5 8.25 0.5 0.15 Opt. yes yes yes 
Cultured Skim Milk <0.5 8.25 0.5 0.15 Opt. yes yes yes 
Yogurt 3.25 8.25 0.9 N p(2) yes yes yes 
Lowfat Yogurt 0.5-2.0 8.25 0.9 N p(2) yes yes yes 
Nonfat Yogurt <0.5 8.25 0.9 N p (2) yes yes yes 
Eggnog 6 8.25(3) - N p (2) yes yes yes 
(1) Color additives are allowed in all products listed, but not that which imparts 
the color of milkfat or, in the case of eggnog, yolk solids. 
(2) NP = No provisions. 
(3) In addition, eggnog must contain not less than one percent of egg yolk solids 
by weight of finished product. 
Vernal S. Packard, Jr . 
Extension Specialist, Dairy Products 
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The information given in this publication is tor educational purposes only , Reference to commercoal products or trade names is made with the 
understanding that no dis~rimination is intended and no endorsement by the Minnesota Agricultural Extension Service is impl ied. 
The University of Minnesota, including the Agricultural Extension Service, is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its 
programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, creed, color, SP.x, national origin, or handicap.