It turns out that for many years we did not even realize that we were drinking not milk, but a white powdered drink. This did not affect the bottles and boxes in any way. However, everything is about to change soon - a new law about milk, thanks to which now every buyer will know what he is buying In search of a powdered drink, we examined the entire dairy department and examined about 20 bottles and packages different brands. Only one package honestly stated that its contents were made from reconstituted milk. Two boxes and one bottle were labeled “No Milk Powder Added.” All other products fell into the “gray” zone - their origin was simply hushed up. The manufacturer did not indicate what he poured into the container - whole cow's milk or diluted powder, but did not forget to call it “high quality”, “fresh”, “real”, “unique”, “natural”, “classic” and even “premium”. As practice shows, all these compliments are formal in nature and have nothing to do with the quality of the product or its origin.
However, this holiday for manufacturers who save on our health will soon end. Now the word “milk” will appear only on packages containing natural product, and the liquid recovered from the powder can only be called a “milk drink.” In about six months, the law will come into force, and then most manufacturers will have to rewrite the information on their bottles and packages.
From cow to packaging
Even the most quality milk in packaging differs from cow's. The special taste of the fresh steamed product, which, unfortunately, many modern city dwellers do not know, is due to its unique structure: quite large fat globules float in it. At the same time, the cows give us a completely non-standard drink - one is milked with milk with 5%, the second with 4%, the third with 2.8%. In order for a healthy liquid to have a clear percentage of fat content and be safe for mass consumption, it must pass through a millstone food technologies. First, it is homogenized - mixed until homogeneous mass, breaking the balls into “dust”. A product that has gone through such manipulations still has the natural percentage of fat content that the cow provided it with and is called “whole” (information about this is indicated on the packaging). Of course, its taste has changed a little and it has lost the ability to form a creamy film on its surface, but of all the “store-bought” drinks, this particular drink is considered the healthiest.
However, on our shelves you will often find not “whole” milk, but “normalized” milk. This is the name of a product that has passed another test - separation (separation) into fat and liquid. Why is it needed? So that the manufacturer can easily mix (normalize) the components of milk, create a drink with a strictly specified percentage of fat content and write it on the pack - 0.5%, 1%, 2.8%, etc. Pour more liquid - get dietary product, less – high in calories. The fat content is considered to be 3.2%. Of course, normalized milk is inferior to whole milk, but it can still be called a healthy product because the necessary vitamins, minerals and enzymes remain in it.
Boil or drown
In addition to homogenization and separation, all store-bought milk must undergo heat treatment. How the manufacturer has purified the product from bacteria and made it safe for consumption must be indicated on the packaging. Why do you need to know that? In order to understand how much useful substances remaining in the milk, whether it needs to be boiled and how long it can be stored.
Pasteurized. It is processed for several minutes at a temperature of 63 to 100°, as a result of which most harmful bacteria are killed. A significant part of the beneficial lactic acid microorganisms remains, so this milk can be stored for no more than two days. It is better to use pasteurized for making porridges or soups, and if you just want to drink it, boil it before drinking.
Ultra-pasteurized. The milk is heated for just half a second to + 125-138o. In terms of its properties and shelf life, it occupies an intermediate position between a simply pasteurized product and a sterilized one.
Sterilized. In fact, this milk is sterile, since heat treatment kills almost all bacteria - both harmful and beneficial lactic acid ones. This milk can be stored for six months; there is no need to boil it. There are two types of sterilization. Conventional - milk is heated to 100° and kept at this temperature for about 30 minutes. This destroys some of the vitamins and enzymes. And ultra-high temperature (sometimes they simply write UVT or UHT on the packaging), in which milk is heated to 135-140° in a few seconds. Vitamins are preserved. This milk can be called the safest and at the same time healthy.
Ghee. It is subjected to heat treatment in a special way. It is kept at + 85-99o for at least 3 hours. As a result, the milk acquires a creamy tint and special taste and smell. The melted drink has loyal fans, but patients diabetes mellitus It’s better not to be one of them. It contains quite a lot of so-called end products of glycolysis (AGEs), which are undesirable in this disease.
What to look for on milk packaging
Best the enemy of the good
Today, many manufacturers are trying to enrich milk by adding vitamins, iodine, protein and other beneficial substances. Information about them and their quantity is indicated on the packaging. However, many doctors believe that synthetic vitamins are not always good, and milk itself is so useful product, which does not need improvement. Just one glass natural drink(the powder indicators are much worse) gives you 13% of the daily protein requirement, 21% of vitamin D, 25% of calcium, 10% of potassium, 18% of phosphorus, 11% of selenium, 22% of vitamin B2 and 15% of vitamin B12. And that's not all - along with the white liquid you consume 35 mg of healthy fatty acids with anti-cancer effects, a set of 10 essential amino acids, magnesium and zinc.
Bottle or bag
IN Soviet time milk was sold directly from the barrel or in glass half-liter bottles, less often in cardboard boxes. Today, packaging has become more varied in shape and quality.
Tight boxes. They are made of multilayer cardboard, which is lined with polyethylene and foil on the inside. Sealed packaging protects the product well from spoilage, and due to its opacity, milk does not undergo so-called photo-oxidation from sunlight.
Opaque plastic bottles and bags. The packaging is sealed, but unlike cardboard, it is easily damaged. The degree of protection against photo-oxidation is not bad, but slightly worse than that of boxes.
Polyethylene bags. They are made of multilayer film with a black layer inside. This is the cheapest and most vulnerable packaging. It is usually used for pasteurized milk, which can be stored for no more than 5 days.
Bottles (glass and transparent plastic). They are sealed, but do not protect the product from photo-oxidation. This disadvantage of transparent containers is offset by the fact that they are usually used for pasteurized milk, which cannot be stored for a long time. In this case, the bottle must be kept in a dark place.
From full fat milk losing weight!
Studies by Western scientists have proven that women who prefer milk with 3.2% fat are less likely to gain weight. It turns out that this drink contains two substances that promote weight loss. Paradoxically, the former is found in milk fat. It contains special fatty acids with the very complex name “conjugated linoleic acids” (for brevity, they are designated three in English letters CLA). They are especially useful when you need to consolidate the success of your diet and not gain weight. To do this, you need to eat 3-4 servings of dairy products a day: the ideal set is 1-2 glasses of milk, yogurt and cottage cheese.
The second milk factor helps in the fight against overweight, – calcium. It's not just for bones. American scientists from the University of Craigton in Nebraska believe that an additional intake of 300 mg of calcium per day reduces the amount of body fat by about 2.5–3 kg in adults and by 1 kg in children. This macronutrient enhances protein synthesis - that is, it does about the same thing as physical exercise.
Expert opinion
Konstantin Spakhov, gastroenterologist, candidate of medical sciences
There are people who cannot tolerate milk, or rather its sugar, lactose. They lack the enzyme that breaks it down. As a result, lactose begins to “ferment” in the intestines, causing pain, rumbling, and diarrhea. For some, drinking less than a glass is enough to achieve these effects. Fortunately, in recent years low-lactose milk has appeared in Russia, from which milk sugar has been removed. True, it is not sold everywhere. If you are unable to find such a product, be sure to eat other dairy foods - yogurt, kefir, cream, cheese. They contain many times less specific sugar.
For those who have at least once drank real fresh milk, dairy products from the supermarket may seem at least strange. They have a completely different, unusual taste, which is called “powdery”. Let's figure out how it differs from cow-made products from products produced in industrial conditions. Is it really more beneficial for the body? And how can you avoid running into products of dubious quality in the supermarket?
What is the difference between natural and store-bought dairy products?
Since 2013 in Customs Union valid technical regulations“On the safety of milk and dairy products.” It is designed to protect people’s lives and health, and to prevent manufacturers from trying to mislead buyers about the quality of their products.
The technical regulations list more than 100 types of dairy products. All of them are combined into 3 large groups:
- Dairy - drinking milk, cottage cheese sour cream. Such products are made from milk or its components, without the addition of non-dairy fats and proteins. The composition may contain additional components that are needed for milk processing.
- Dairy composite products- yoghurts with crispy flakes, curds with pieces of fruit. These products are also made from milk and its components, which are partially replaced by non-dairy components. The share of milk should be more than 50%, and in ice cream and sweet milk products - over 40%.
- Dairy products - sour cream, processed cheese. Such products are made from milk, its components and dairy products, but the permissible proportion of substitute milk fat- more than 50%. It is also possible to use non-dairy protein.
The packaging always indicates which group the product belongs to. The highest quality are dairy products. Compound milk and milk-containing products are cheaper, but they do not contain any beneficial substances, and the taste may have little in common with the taste of real milk.
How to read the label correctly?
You should always read the label before purchasing dairy products. Please note the following information:
- Name - if the product contains non-dairy components, it must have a mark indicating that it is a milk-containing product.
- A manufacturer's standard or technical document in accordance with which milk is processed. Please note that, unlike GOST, TU ( technical specifications) the manufacturer may change at its discretion.
- Ingredients listing all ingredients.
- Mass fraction of fat as a percentage. On processed cheese, cheese products And low-fat products milk processing, the mass fraction of fat in dry matter is indicated as a percentage.
- Mass fraction of milk fat - indicated on packages of milk-containing products.
- Content of microorganisms - lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria and other probiotics.
- The content of micro- and macroelements, vitamins and their relationship to daily requirement person.
A separate issue is the shelf life. Dairy products made from natural milk without the addition of chemicals, they are always perishable, but they can only be found in stores with great difficulty. If the shelf life is 3 days or more, it means the product contains preservatives. The longer it can be stored, the more chemicals it contains and the fewer components beneficial to the body.
In many families, for a number of reasons, children are present from birth. Parents are gradually introducing regular store-bought milk into the diet, replacing infant formula with it. Is it harmful and at what age should a child be given this product from the store?
Store-bought milk and adapted milk formula: which is better?
Packaged store-bought milk contains much less vitamins and microelements, fully satisfying the baby’s needs. It lacks important enzymes. They are destroyed during processing. A store-bought product may not go sour for weeks at room temperature. It's hard to get out of it delicious curdled milk or cottage cheese.
Milk from the store is sterilized at high temperatures. It may contain an antibiotic, which gets into the diet of cows through imported feed, and we get it from the cow in the finished product. Many types of milk long-term storage contain preservatives that are allergic not only to children, but also to adults. Sometimes soda is added to milk powder during the production process to extend shelf life. All this does not add any usefulness to the store-bought product.
Unlike store-bought milk, infant formula contains essential microelements and vitamins. They have a stable composition and milk protein does not cause mixtures allergic reactions in kids.
An unequivocal conclusion arises: milk formula in a child’s diet is much healthier than a store-bought product.
For many mothers, the question remains relevant: at what age can regular milk be introduced into the diet of children?
Note to moms!
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Children from three years of age are ideal for store-bought milk to appear on menus.
Introduction to daily ration new foods should not harm the digestive system of a growing organism. Pediatricians recommend adhering to a specific schedule for giving milk to your child.
If the baby is pregnant, then from the age of one year you can try to introduce special baby food into the menu - milk and lactic acid products, intended for the appropriate children's age. It is indicated on the packaging. As a rule, they are sold in small volumes of up to half a liter. Baby milk does not require boiling. Into the diet one year old baby A glass of milk is included, provided it is well tolerated and there are no adverse reactions.
However, many mothers transfer their bottle-fed babies to store product much earlier. If there are no problems with digestion, it is diluted and gradually added to porridge for children from 9-11 months. Moms evaluate the reaction child's body for such an “adult” product. If a child develops various disorders or allergies, pediatricians strongly advise giving up this new complementary food for about six months. In this situation, it is advisable to obtain qualified recommendations from an experienced pediatrician.
What store-bought milk is best to give to a child?
When gradually introducing store-bought milk into a child’s diet after three years, it should be remembered that baby food It is better to use ultra-pasteurized milk. It is safe and retains all vitamins and microelements.
Low-fat foods are recommended for older children. American nutritionists have proven that children who regularly consume them are prone to obesity. In America from skim milk refused until the child turns five years old.
PHOTO Getty Images
Milk is a real storehouse of amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and an important source of calcium. Whey proteins are the key to health and longevity, as they prevent fat from accumulating around the internal organs. Israeli scientists have found that those who regularly drink milk lose weight faster. Volunteers who drank one and a half glasses of milk every day easily lost an average of 6 kilograms over two years. The reason is vitamin D, which supports normal metabolism and immunity. There is a lot of it in milk, and besides, it is perfectly absorbed together with milk fats.
And the idea that milk is contraindicated for adults is a misconception. It is true that it is poorly absorbed by people with lactose intolerance and gives them a lot of unpleasant sensations, but such people are in the minority among us. Milk sugar, lactose, is almost completely absorbed in a healthy body.
“A moo is grazing in the meadow...”
The quality of milk primarily depends on decent living conditions for livestock. Many people imagine an idyllic picture - a cow grazing on flooded fields... It turns out that this is not at all the case. Cows in the meadow are rather a sign of the distress of the farm. The taste of milk depends greatly on the feed, and in the field it is difficult to track what exactly a cow eats. She chewed wormwood - that’s all, the milk was unusable, with a bitter taste, and the colza gave off a rare smell. In addition, the soil, and therefore the grass, can be contaminated with nitrates. Milking a cow in the field is unhygienic, and in such conditions the milkmaid is not able to track whether the cow is healthy or not.
Today, on many farms, complete facilities are created for dairy cows. decent conditions life without grazing. Even if they are kept on a leash, the cows are still taken out onto the boardwalk. “On our two Dubna-plus farms, the cowsheds are built in such a way that the cows are kept in them around the clock without a leash,” says Yuri Neyasov, manager of the dairy farm of the Cheburashkin Brothers holding. Family farm." – Movement has a good effect on the well-being of animals, they give more milk, rich in vitamins and nutrients. On each farm, we built two buildings for the milking herd that meet the physiological requirements of the cow - light, with good ventilation, non-slip floors, equipped with all the necessary modern equipment. There is also a milking parlor, a maternity ward and two buildings for calves. The other two farms, Vasilievskoe and Ilyino, have the same number of buildings, but the animals are kept on a leash. In this case, milking takes place in a stall, and “walking” takes place on a special area on the street. In the future, we plan to transfer all our farms to free-stall farming.”
Farms that adhere to the principles of natural farming have their own fields sown with grass and grain crops. More than half of the cow's menu consists of hay, haylage (finely chopped clover and other grasses) and corn silage. These feeds, rich in vitamins and amino acids, are very important for obtaining high-quality, aromatic and delicious milk. In addition, the animals are fed with mixed feed and minerals, such as salt, chalk and phosphate. In some farms, cows are even treated to dessert - caramel, so that the feed is better absorbed. If the feeding and housing conditions of the cows are maintained, the milk has a pleasant, warm smell and a delicate, slightly sweet taste. Color – white, with a slightly yellowish tint. Baked milk has a creamy tint, and for low-fat product a slightly bluish color is acceptable. In no case should milk have a sour taste, a fodder or barn smell - this indicates poor maintenance, poor quality feed and milking, and improper storage of the product.
Dangerous additives
Vladislav Cheburashkin
Scientists from York University in Toronto found that 30-40 years ago it was easier for people to stay slim. Residents of the United States and Canada in the 70s who ate and exercised exactly as much as their compatriots today weighed 10% less. According to scientists, the reason is the hormones and antibiotics used today in animal husbandry. The former are used to make cattle gain weight faster and produce more milk, while the latter are used to make animals sick less and feed better digestible. Once in the human body, hormones change metabolism, and antibiotics change the intestinal microflora, and all together leads to weight gain.
In addition to obesity, hormones can cause early puberty, cancer and allergies, and antibiotics – the emergence of drug-resistant strains of bacteria.
Hormones in the US dairy and meat industries are officially allowed to increase weight and milk production, and until 2014 there was no ban on antibiotics. Fortunately, in Russia and the European Union, hormones and antibiotics are permissible only when treating sick animals. All meat and milk imported from abroad in our country are examined and, if found, dangerous additives, – they are not allowed into stores. With internal control, the situation is more complicated: it has not yet been possible to establish uninterrupted inspection of each batch sent to retail chains from Russian livestock or dairy farms. Therefore, buyers have to rely on the integrity of the manufacturer.
Antibiotics on farms, in particular, treat udder mastitis, a common disease that often affects dairy cows. Hormones are used for reproductive dysfunction. In this case, the sick cow must be isolated from the herd, continue to be milked, but the milk is destroyed or, after thorough disinfection, it is fed to the calves.
Conscious producers control the quality of milk at every stage - from feeding and milking to sale. Ideally, milk arriving at the plant should undergo several stages of testing - first in the receiving laboratory, and then in the microbiological and physical-chemical laboratory.
“In the receiving laboratory, each batch of milk is examined for the content of antibiotics and inhibitors, as well as for purity, mass fraction fat, protein and other important indicators. The microbiology laboratory tests the milk for bacterial contamination, such as E. coli. In addition, it is very useful to donate milk from time to time and finished products to independent laboratories, which is what we do,” says Vladimir Neyasov.
What do we see on store shelves?
Modern cow management correct selection fresh, environmentally friendly feed allows us to supply stores with high-quality, safe, tasty and healthy dairy products. But there is still a risk of receiving a dose of hormones or antibiotics from unscrupulous manufacturers with a glass of milk. That is why you should carefully study information about the manufacturers represented in your store, read the opinions of experts and find the results of independent checks (the newspapers readily write about this). After collecting all the information, choose those who maintain the compromise between farming and mass milk production using advanced technology. The path is not the easiest, but perhaps the only correct one. To obtain more benefits from milk, buy non-UHT milk open form“living” for a whole month, but ordinary, pasteurized, which even in the refrigerator turns sour on the third day. Gentle heat treatment retains a maximum of precious vitamins, amino acids and microelements in milk. And yet, nutritionists advise drinking milk separately from other foods. This way it will be better absorbed and will not interfere with the digestion of food, the absorption of iron and other beneficial substances.
There are many products in our stores. There are a lot of all kinds of snickers, fruits and even healthy (as, at least, the manufacturer wants to assure us) products. Particular attention should be paid to the dairy department: this is where the consumer has the greatest chance of buying not only low-quality, but also, frankly, harmful goods. Rosselkhoznadzor recently published a list of what is contained in store-bought milk. We present only the most unpleasant excerpts from this frightening study.
Reconstituted milk
Very often, unscrupulous manufacturers replace whole milk regenerated, made with the addition vegetable fats. This is what they do, for example, when making fermented milk products. Goat milk, more expensive, are restored more often.
Hydrogenated fats
Mixtures various oils, hydrogenated fats - you can find all this in regular store-bought milk. Generally speaking, the Ministry of Health recommends limiting the presence of such fats in the diet, as they contain high concentration trans isomers of fatty acids. Few manufacturers follow these recommendations.
Chalk
Most often, ordinary chalk is added to sour cream and cottage cheese. It is not harmful - but tell me, who enjoys eating chalk? Pay attention to the structure of the cottage cheese. A too crumbly, tasteless product will indicate additives.
Sour cream
Everything is even simpler here. If you don't want to use a bunch of supplements, don't buy them. store bought sour cream. Here you will probably come across diluted water, kefir, low-fat cottage cheese product. Flavoring additives? The manufacturer prefers not to save on them.
Starch
Starch can safely be called the basis of the profit of unscrupulous dairy producers. It is added everywhere. Sour cream and butter, cottage cheese, even inexpensive kefir - everything is better with starch.
Antibiotics
Some manufacturers add antibiotics to milk. This way they save on sterilization. But the Ministry of Health directly prohibits doing this: the abundance of antibiotics reduces human immunity.
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