Before the invention and widespread use of refrigerators, people used various methods to separate fat from milk, such as:
Gravity separation: Milk naturally separates into cream (the fat-rich part) and skim milk (the fat-free part) due to differences in density. By allowing fresh milk to sit undisturbed in a container for a certain period, the cream would rise to the top, making it easy to skim off. This process was typically done in shallow, wide-mouthed containers to maximize the surface area for separation.
Cream skimmers: Skimming devices, like ladles or specialized utensils designed for this purpose, were used to skim off the cream from the top of the milk. These skimmers allowed people to separate the cream more efficiently.
Settling and decanting: After allowing milk to sit, it would naturally separate into layers. People would gently pour off the top layer (cream) into another container while leaving the skim milk behind. This process required some care to avoid mixing the layers.
Using animal skins or bladders: In some cultures, animal skins or bladders were used as containers for milk. The fat would adhere to the inner surface of the skin or bladder, making it easier to separate the cream from the skim milk.
Siphoning: By using a siphoning tube or hose, people could extract the cream from the top of the milk while leaving the skim milk in the container.
It's important to note that these methods were not as efficient as modern refrigeration, and preserving perishable foods like milk was a challenging task. People often relied on immediate consumption, fermentation (to make products like yogurt or cheese), or drying methods to preserve milk for longer periods.
While these traditional methods worked reasonably well for small-scale dairy operations or households, they couldn't achieve the level of separation and preservation that refrigeration offers today. The advent of refrigeration significantly transformed the way we store and handle perishable food items, providing safer and longer-lasting storage solutions.