YOU should be safe to assume that people know that chocolate milk is just that... milk with chocolate.

But a study has revealed that almost ten percent of Americans think that chocolate milk comes from BROWN cows.

3 16m Americans think chocolate milk comes from brown cows.. yes, really Credit: Getty Images

That works out to be around 16.4 million people, over 18.

And a staggering 48 per cent of people said they didn't even know where chocolate milk came from.

The survey was conducted by the Innovation Centre for U.S. Dairy.

It was covered by Food and Wine on June 1, who snarked: "um, guys, [milk] comes from cows — and not just the brown kind”, but the statistic went viral on Thursday after the Washington Post published its report on the findings.

3 chocolate milk is just regular milk with chocolate added.. nothing to do with the colour of the animal Credit: Getty Images

Despite nearly one-fifth of the American states having cattle populations that outstrip the human population and agriculture being one of the country’s biggest industries, Americans remain largely ignorant of where much of their food comes from.

Previous research found that nearly one in five Americans were not aware that hamburgers were made of beef.

related stories VOTING IS EASY' Michelle O says mail-in ballots won't be lost - after Trump votes dumped Live Blog SHOWDOWN Biden 'beating Trump in key battleground states with 39 days until Election Day' SCARED, NANCY? Pelosi AGAIN says Biden shouldn't 'bother' to debate Trump TWISTED TEACHER Teaching assistant had sex with student, 14, and sent lingerie pics AGONIZING DEATH Mom 'leaves disabled daughter, 13, to die after switching off oxygen alarm' BLAME IT ON THE BOOGIE Town bans DANCING to stop virus in move straight out of Footloose PARTY TIME FL reopens bars and restaurants at FULL capacity scrapping virus restrictions DEADLY STRUGGLE Cops shoot black man dead after 'jaywalking' as sheriff says he grabbed gun 'ISIS HOAX' Self-styled ISIS executioner 'MADE UP tales of bloody killings for publicity' CON AIR Bungling bandits hijack a helicopter in failed bid to bust crooks from women's jail

Another team of researchers discovered that three in 10 nine to 12-year-olds didn’t know that cheese is made from milk.

“At the end of the day, it’s an exposure issue,” said Cecily Upton, co-founder of the nonprofit FoodCorps, which brings agricultural and nutrition education into elementary schools.

3 Many Americans didn't know that hamburgers were made from beef Credit: Caters News Agency

“Right now, we’re conditioned to think that if you need food, you go to the store. Nothing in our educational framework teaches kids where food comes from before that point.”

“We still get kids who are surprised that a French fry comes from a potato, or that a pickle is a cucumber,” Upton added.

“Knowledge is power. Without it, we can’t make informed decisions.”

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368