What is the difference between whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk?

The main difference between these milks is their fat content. Whole milk is standardised to have at least 3.5 % fat; semi-skimmed milk is standardised to have 1.5 – 1.8 % fat; skimmed milk is standardised to have no more than 0.5 % fat (both semi-skimmed and skimmed milk can be referred to as ‘low-fat’ milk).

Apart from the difference in fat and therefore energy (kcal) content, the remaining nutritional composition is largely similar.