An improved rapid method for separating lipids from milk to determine the fatty acid composition using 2 centrifugations at room temperature (20 degrees C) was compared with the ISO-IDF reference procedure based on solvent extraction. The new method is useful for research and routine quality control and has a number of advantages over the reference procedure--mainly no solvents are required and it saves time. Applicability of the rapid separation method was confirmed in fats with different physical characteristics from ewe and goat milk samples. Minor differences were found in the proportions of some fatty acids in the reference and centrifugation methods. Milk fat separated by centrifugation at room temperature did not differ in fatty acid composition from milk centrifuged at 4 degrees C.