Nutrition

In Switzerland, around 3.4 billion liters of milk are produced every year. Although cows perform the first stage of this process, milk has to go through several stages of transformation to become the products we consume every day. At Cremo, we are committed to offering a wide range of dairy products, each designed to satisfy the varied tastes and needs of consumers.

Before it reaches your refrigerator, milk undergoes rigorous processing to ensure its safety and quality. Pasteurization is a key step: the milk is heated to at least 72°C for 15 seconds, thereby eliminating most bacteria. For longer shelf life, milk may also undergo ultra-high-temperature (UHT) treatment, in which it is heated to between 135 and 155°C for two seconds and then rapidly cooled. This process allows the milk to be stored for 8 to 12 weeks without refrigeration.

The next step, homogenization, involves breaking down fat globules into smaller particles, thereby ensuring a uniform texture in the milk. This process prevents the cream from separating again, giving the milk its smooth, uniform appearance.

Milk fat, or cream, is used in a wide variety of recipes, whether to enhance a dessert with whipped cream or to add richness to sauces. About 8% of Swiss milk is processed into cream, an indispensable ingredient in cooking.
Butter, on the other hand, is made by churning cream. This process involves agglomerating the fat into a compact mass, separated from the buttermilk. It takes about 22 liters of milk to produce one kilogram of butter, making it a prized, flavorful product that is highly valued in Swiss cuisine.

To produce yogurt, specific cultures of lactic acid bacteria are added to the milk. These bacteria cause fermentation, which thickens the milk and gives it its characteristic creamy texture. Each type of yogurt or quark can then be enriched with flavors or ingredients, such as fresh fruit or aromatic herbs, to satisfy every taste.

With 43% of Swiss milk devoted to its production, cheese is undoubtedly the flagship product of our dairy heritage. Switzerland is renowned for its 450 varieties of cheese, from soft to semi-hard to hard. Every year, 180,000 tonnes of cheese are produced, showcasing age-old know-how.
The cheese-making process is based on a simple but effective principle: milk, in the presence of lactic acid bacteria, salt and rennet, coagulates to form curd, while the liquid part, called whey, is separated. The curd is then pressed, and the bacteria continue to act during the ripening process, giving each cheese its own unique flavor.

Whether it’s milk, butter, cream, yogurt, or cheese, every dairy product is the result of a meticulous processing of raw milk. These processes not only extend the shelf life of milk but also ensure that consumers have access to a wide variety of products, while preserving essential nutrients. At Cremo, we are proud to be part of this processing chain, offering products that combine tradition and innovation.