The milk goes into insulated holding tanks, where it stays as the tank is filled up by all the trucks making their deliveries to the plant.

At this point, we separate the milk by removing the butterfat and then add back in the right amount of butterfat for skim, 1%, 2% or 4% (commonly called "whole") milk.

We pasteurize milk and cream to destroy most of the bacteria in the milk.  Pasteurization makes milk safe to drink.  It also helps milk to last longer-about 16 days from processing.

A homogenizer breaks up the remaining fat particles and distributes them evenly throughout the milk. This keeps the cream from floating to the top of the milk.  All Alta Dena brand milk is homogenized.  Vitamin D is added to milk.  2% and 1% are also fortified with Vitamin A.  Whole milk is not fortified with Vitamin A because it contains plenty of Vitamin a naturally.  No preservatives are ever added to our milk.

Next, additional milk solids are added for improved nutrition.  Alta Dena never uses milk powder for this.  We have a special way of condensing fluid milk, which we blend with the fresh milk to increase the vitamin and mineral content.

The finished milk is then packaged and delivered to the store.  Milk and cream are also used to make butter, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products.

Milk processing usually takes less than a day from beginning to end.  And then it's on its way to the store.  The Alta Dena milk you buy is usually delivered within 48 hours of Milking!