Milk fat refers to the lipids present in milk. It's a complex mixture of triglycerides, with various fatty acid chain lengths.

Description of raw materials used in production.

• Milk fat is naturally present in bovine milk. Milk is the primary raw material from which milk fat is derived.

Step-by-step summary of the industrial chemical synthesis process.

• Raw milk is subjected to centrifugation to separate the cream from the rest of the milk.
• The cream is then heated to pasteurize it, killing any pathogens.
• The cream can be further churned to produce butter, yielding butterfat or milk fat.

Milk fat appears as a creamy substance, pale yellow or white in color, depending on the animal's diet and processing method.

Commercial applications.

Milk fat is used in the production of many dairy products, like butter, cheeses, ice creams, and creams. It's also a key ingredient in some chocolate formulations and other food products.

The average milk fat contained in cow's milk ranges from 3.2% to 3.6%.

The composition of these fats includes 3 main acids:

• palmitic acid with 26%
• myriistic acid
• stearic acid

Milk fats are a key nutrient intake for infants and early childhood, but regular intake in adulthood can lead to cardiovascular risks while moderate consumption of dairy products does not bring undesirable effects on human health (1).

This review seeks to:

• understand the components of the milk fat globule , as well as maternal factors including genetic and lifestyle factors that influence its characteristics;
• examine the potential role of this milk component on the intestinal immune system; and 
• delineate the mechanistic roles of the milk fat globule in infant intestinal maturation and establishment of the microbiota in the alimentary canal (2).

Milk fats have a prevalent content of saturated fat and cholesterol.

Per 8 ounce serving (237mL), whole milk provides 149 kilocalories compared to only 83 kilocalories for skim milk (3).

Milk fats studies

References_________________________________________________________________________

(1) Giosuè A, Calabrese I, Vitale M, Riccardi G, Vaccaro O. Consumption of Dairy Foods and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2022 Feb 16;14(4):831. doi: 10.3390/nu14040831. 

Abstract. Limited consumption of dairy foods and use of low-fat products is recommended for cardiovascular (CV) prevention; however, other features besides fat content modulate their metabolic effects. We analyze updated evidence on the relationship of different dairy products (low/full-fat dairy, milk, cheese, yogurt) with CVD by reviewing meta-analyses of cohort studies and individual prospective cohort studies with CV hard endpoints (CVD/CHD incidence/mortality), together with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials exploring the effect of dairy on major CV risk factors. The analyses provide evidence that moderate dairy consumption (up to 200 g/day, globally) has no detrimental effects on CV health and that their effect depends more on the food type (cheese, yogurt, milk) than on the fat content. These data expand current knowledge and may inform revision of current guidelines for CVD prevention.

(2) Lee H, Padhi E,Hasegawa Y, Larke J, Parenti M, Wang A, Hernell O, Lönnerdal B, Slupsky C.   Compositional Dynamics of the Milk Fat Globule and Its Role in Infant Development. Front Pediatr. 2018 Oct 24;6:313. doi: 10.3389/fped.2018.00313.

Abstract. Human milk is uniquely optimized for the needs of the developing infant. Its composition is complex and dynamic, driven primarily by maternal genetics, and to a lesser extent by diet and environment. One important component that is gaining attention is the milk fat globule (MFG). The MFG is composed of a triglyceride-rich core surrounded by a tri-layer membrane, also known as the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) that originates from mammary gland epithelia. The MFGM is enriched with glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol, and proteins, some of which are glycosylated, and are known to exert numerous biological roles. Mounting evidence suggests that the structure of the MFG and bioactive components of the MFGM may benefit the infant by aiding in the structural and functional maturation of the gut through the provision of essential nutrients and/or regulating various cellular events during infant growth and immune education. Further, antimicrobial peptides and surface carbohydrate moieties surrounding the MFG might have a pivotal role in shaping gut microbial populations, which in turn may promote protection against immune and inflammatory diseases early in life. This review seeks to: (1) understand the components of the MFG, as well as maternal factors including genetic and lifestyle factors that influence its characteristics; (2) examine the potential role of this milk component on the intestinal immune system; and (3) delineate the mechanistic roles of the MFG in infant intestinal maturation and establishment of the microbiota in the alimentary canal.

(3) Bakke AJ, Shehan CV, Hayes JE. Type of milk typically consumed, and stated preference, but not health consciousness affect revealed preferences for fat in milk.   Food Qual Prefer. 2016 Apr 1;49:92-99.

Abstract. Fat is an important source of both pleasure and calories in the diet. Dairy products are a major source of fat in the diet, and understanding preferences for fat in fluid milk can potentially inform efforts to change fat consumption patterns or optimize consumer products. Here, patterns of preference for fat in milk were determined in the laboratory among 100 free living adults using rejection thresholds. Participants also answered questions relating to their health concerns, the type of fluid milk typically consumed, and their declared preference for type of milk (in terms of fat level). When revealed preferences in blind tasting were stratified by these measures, we observed striking differences in the preferred level of fat in milk. These data indicate a non-trivial number of consumers who prefer low-fat milk to full fat milk, a pattern that would have been overshadowed by the use of a group mean. While it is widely assumed and claimed that increasing fat content in fluid milk universally increases palatability, present data demonstrate this is not true for a segment of the population. These results underscore the need to go look beyond group means to understand individual differences in food preference.