What is the minimum milk fat percentage in heavy cream (whipping cream)?

Heavy cream, also known as whipping cream, must have a minimum milk fat percentage of 36% to be categorized as such. This fat content is crucial because it affects the cream’s ability to whip and hold air, which are essential characteristics for making whipped toppings, desserts, and other culinary applications. A fat content lower than 36% would classify the product as light cream or half-and-half rather than heavy cream. Therefore, the correct answer is based on the recognized standards in dairy classifications, which identify 36% as the threshold for heavy cream.