homogenised

Everyday

1. Homogenised milk has been treated so the cream is broken into tiny drops and mixed through, so it does not rise to the top. tree →
2. Homogenised means made all the same or mixed evenly. tree →
3. (disapproving) Homogenised can mean dull, with all the interesting differences taken away. tree →

In the lessons

In science and food lessons, homogenising milk pushes it through tiny holes at high pressure so the fat droplets become very small and stay mixed. Most shop milk is homogenised and pasteurised. In talk about culture, people complain that high streets have become homogenised, with the same shops everywhere.

Examples

• Most milk in the supermarket is homogenised. tree →
• Homogenised milk has no layer of cream on top. tree →
• The machine homogenised the mixture. tree →
• Some people say pop music has become homogenised. tree →
• Every town centre looks homogenised with the same chain shops. tree →
• Grandma remembers milk before it was homogenised, with cream on top. tree →

Note

UK, Australian spelling: homogenised; US, Canadian spelling: homogenized. Homogenised is not the same as pasteurised (heated to kill germs); milk is usually both.