Editing Buttermilk (section)

== 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.