Milk - It's All Part of a Process

By Emma Walshaw

There are a few things I have learned recently about milk, and some of the processes it goes through from cow to breakfast table. I thought I would share.

About the Cow

Types of cow

Currently the most common dairy cow in the UK is the Holstein-Friesian representing 90% of the British herd. The other minority breeds include the Ayrshire, Jersey or Guernsey, which tend to produce a higher fat content milk. The Holstein Friesian breed is popular amongst dairy farming as they are particularly high yielding dairy cows.

Grazing

The majority of British dairy farmers ensure that their cows graze outdoors during the summer, and stay under cover during the winter in spacious barns with areas for them to move around and bed down. Some farms have large barns that they keep the cows in all year round, claiming it is better for the cows as they don't have to walk too far to be milked! Hmmm. Either way, Britain has high Animal Welfare assurance schemes and whether the cows are indoors all year or not, the dairy farmer must meet these high standards.

About the Milk

Types of milk

About 50 years ago milk was all about the cream! Old advertisements boast that their milk is the creamiest. Arguments were had around the breakfast table as to who got the top of the milk, the best bit, the real treat. Nowadays, we enjoy white water on our breakfast cereal, and any sign of a little creaminess, or creamy residue at the top of the bottle is considered to be an indication that the milk must be off. How things have changed in such a short time.

As usual we are spoilt for choice when we visit the milk aisle of a supermarket:

Whole milk

Semi skimmed

Skimmed

1% fat

Organic

Jersey and Guernsey

Flavoured

Heat treated (UHT)

Evaporated

Condensed

Untreated (raw)

Filtered

Dried milk powder

Who knew?

The process

So what is it that we do to our milk now that makes it so... unmilky?!

Most of the milk consumed in the UK is pasteurised.

Pasteurisation is the process whereby milk is briefly heated to around 72? in order to kill potentially harmful micro-organisms that may be present in poor quality milk. Unfortunately it also kills off any good probiotic bacteria (good for the guts) and damages the proteins in the milk. Pasteurisation also destroys any enzymes that help us digest the milk, and any healthy vitamins, like vitamin C.

Most of the milk we buy is also homogenised. For some reason, someone decided we should no longer be the cats that got the cream. Who knows, maybe it was to avoid those breakfast time arguments? Homogenisation is where the fat globules are pushed through high pressure systems that have very small holes to disperse the fat globules and break them down so that they are so small they are unable to reform and separate from the milk. This process oxidises cholesterol in the milk which is considered to be damaging to the body.

Standardisation is also carried out on most milk we find in the shops, a process which separates the milk and puts it back together again to form an equal fat content throughout.

Heat treated milk (UHT) is when the milk is heated to at least 135?C in order to kill off, well everything really! Flavour, the works. These UHT milks have a long shelf life, but really, that is where they should stay - on the shelf.

All of these processes, take a wonderful natural product, and turn it into something so far from the original, having removed all the goodness and flavour.

Do you like your food to taste good?

If you have any desire to drink milk that has some sort of flavour and richness, buy whole milk at least. The difference between buying semi skimmed and whole milk is so small I think its irrelevant.

Most Holstien cows produce milk with a fat content of around 3.8% to 4%, most whole milk in the shops has a fat content of between 3.2% and 3.5%, so even whole milk is not really whole milk. Semi skimmed milk is usually between 1.8% and 2%. That is less than 2% difference in fat between whole milk and semi skimmed milk.

The idea of drinking raw milk may be a little daunting for some, I must admit, I have never tried it. However, I will be attending a Raw Milk tasting at the Abergavenny Food Festival so I look forward to sharing my experience of the event on my return.

Come and see us now at http://www.sustainablefoodrevolution.com for more great ideas for eating well, and making healthy and sustainable food choices. You will also find links to great websites and videos full of useful information.

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