The composition of milk is very diverse. It includes about 100 different components.

Proteins are casein, lactoalbumin, lactoglobulin. The latter has bactericidal properties, which is why it is so useful to drink milk with a cold. Just do not boil it, as part of the amino acids and proteins precipitate.

What is useful milk

Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids are present in milk fat, and although it is about 1.5 times more saturated, milk fat is well absorbed because it is in the form of an emulsion in this product. In addition, cholesterol and lecithin are well balanced in it.

Milk sugar - lactose - is found only in milk. It is a major energy provider for babies. Some people cannot drink milk precisely because of their increased sensitivity to lactose.

Calcium and phosphorus are found in milk in large quantities and in a good proportion for assimilation.

There are a lot of vitamins A, D, E in summer milk; in winter, milk is rich in vitamins B2 and B6. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in milk is insignificant, moreover, it is lost during boiling and pasteurization. Relatively little in milk and iron with magnesium.

What are the benefits of dairy products?

Cream is richer than milk in fat, but poorer in protein, sugar, and mineral salts. Compared to skim milk, cream has a lot more salts of phosphorus and a lot of lecithin.

Lactic acid products (yogurt, fermented baked milk, kefir, sour cream, cheese, cheese, etc.). Lactic acid bacteria involved in the fermentation of milk and cream produce B vitamins - substances with antibacterial properties and the ability to inhibit the growth of putrefactive germs in the intestine.

Proteins under the influence of lactic acid bacteria turn into small and delicate flakes of polypeptides, which are absorbed by the body faster than untreated milk proteins.

Lactose is converted to lactic acid. People who are hypersensitive to lactose can safely use sour milk products.

Calcium and phosphorus are more easily broken down and absorbed faster, as lactic acid helps.

Is store milk so beneficial?

In today's world, such a product - it would seem the most natural and natural - like milk can soon be entered in the Red Book. The shelves are filled with pasteurized, sterilized, reconstituted milk and milk drinks.

The recent melamine scandal in China has forced our authorities to ban the import of powdered milk and dairy products from China, but where is the guarantee that this powder did not go through customs earlier and does not lie somewhere in the manufacturer’s warehouse, waiting in the wings.

Recall that due to the high content of melamine in milk in China, 53 thousand children were affected, four of whom died. Milk producers successfully diluted ordinary cow's milk with water, and since its consistency was noticeably thinned, melamine was used in such milk, used to make plastics, which brought the protein content in milk to the right amount.

In addition to melamine, you can also find antibiotics in milk that treat sick dairy cows. Such cows should be separated from the general herd, but who will monitor this? Very often, such milk is in a common tank.

Milk substitute may also be present in milk. Natural milk fat, taken from whole milk, is not cheap, and has long been in short supply, so manufacturers are not shy about adding a substitute to sour cream, cottage cheese and other dairy products.

Normalized reconstituted or “recombined” milk is also not real and useful - it is reconstituted from milk powder, in which oxysterols are formed when it is dried. They affect blood vessels more actively than cholesterol, and according to recent medical experiments, they can lead to cancer. Therefore, natural and powdered milk are not identical products in their usefulness.

Therefore, if you choose from all types of milk, then “pasteurized” remains the “most useful” that has retained at least a fraction of its naturalness. During pasteurization, the milk is heated to 67 degrees for 30 minutes. This is the most gentle way of processing natural milk, used almost everywhere in the world. Thus, the manufacturer kills two birds with one stone - it increases the shelf life of the product and conducts its antibacterial treatment.

The situation with sterilization is much more complicated - milk is heated to 100 degrees several times, after which it is instantly cooled. This method completely destroys all the enzymes contained in milk, and is used for long transportation. Alas, the formula for store milk today is this: the longer the shelf life, the more useless the liquid inside the bag.

In many families, for a number of reasons, children are from birth. Parents gradually introduce regular store milk into the diet, replacing them with milk formulas. Is it harmful and at what age should a child give this product from the store?

Shop milk and adapted milk formula: which is better?

Packaged store milk contains much less vitamins and minerals, fully satisfying the needs of the baby. It lacks important enzymes. They are destroyed during processing. A store product may not sour for weeks at room temperature. It is difficult to get delicious yogurt or cottage cheese from it.

Milk from the store is sterilized at high temperatures. It may contain an antibiotic that passes through imported feed into the diet of cows, and from the cow we get it in the finished product. Many types of long-term milk contain preservatives that are allergic not only to the child, but also to an adult. Sometimes soda is added to milk powder during the manufacturing process to extend the shelf life. All this does not add utility to the store product.

Unlike store milk, infant formula contains the necessary trace elements and vitamins. They have a stable composition and milk protein mixtures do not cause allergic reactions in babies.

An unambiguous conclusion suggests itself: milk formulas in a child’s diet are much more useful than a store product.

For many mothers, the question of how old can still be introduced into the diet of children ordinary milk remains relevant.

Mom's note!

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Children's age from three years old - ideal for appearing in the menu of store milk

The introduction of new products into the daily diet of children should not harm the digestive system of a growing organism. Pediatricians recommend adhering to a certain scheme according to which to give the baby milk.

If the baby is located, then from a year you can try to introduce special baby food in the menu - milk and lactic acid products intended for the corresponding childhood. It is indicated on the package. As a rule, they are sold in small volumes up to half a liter. Baby milk does not require boiling. A glass of milk is included in the diet of a one-year-old baby, provided it is well tolerated and there are no adverse reactions.

However, many mothers transfer babies who are breast-fed to a store product much earlier. In the absence and malfunctions in digestion, it is diluted and gradually added to the porridge for children from 9-11 months. Moms evaluate the reaction of the child's body to such an "adult" product. If a child develops various disorders or allergies, then pediatricians are strongly advised to abandon this new feeding for about six months. It is advisable in this situation to receive qualified recommendations from an experienced pediatrician.

What kind of store milk is best for a baby?

Gradually introducing store milk into the child’s diet after three years, it should be remembered that it is better to use ultra-pasteurized milk for baby food. It is safe and retains all vitamins and minerals.

Low-fat foods are recommended for older children. American nutritionists have proven that babies who regularly consume them are prone to obesity. In America, skim milk is discarded until the child is five years old.

If you have ever drunk real fresh milk, dairy products from the store may seem strange to you - “powdered”, of dubious taste and quality. What is the difference between cow milk and what manufacturers offer us? What “surprises” can one encounter when choosing store milk? All this on MedAboutMe.

Milk is one of the most desired products on our table. According to consumer demand, it can only be compared with bread! This product has high nutritional properties and will appeal to both adults and children. According to experts, the most beneficial for health is fresh milk. But unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to purchase it. Most often, one has to be content with factory milk.

On the shelves of stores there is milk for every taste and budget: nutritious fat and non-fat "diet", Mozhaisk and melted, sterilized and pasteurized, with a short shelf life and that will not go bad for nine months. How not to get confused in all this diversity and choose a really useful product for the family?

The main disadvantage of industrial milk, according to consumers, is its taste. It is inferior to real fresh milk. Trying to figure out what is the reason, many consumers come to the conclusion that all store milk is “powdered”. But actually it is not! The unusual taste of store milk is due to other reasons.

Few people know that farm milk (what we call "homemade" or "village") and a product of industrial manufacture have a different structure. In every milliliter of farm milk, more than 2 billion large fat globules float. While in the product from the store these balls are broken into dust, and the size of each of them does not exceed 1 micron! Store milk does not form a froth when boiled, it is impossible to make butter and skim cream from it. But this is not the only reason for changing the taste of the product!

Another point that directly affects the quality of milk is its processing. The temperature regime, which is necessary in order to make the product safe and suitable for drinking, gives the drink a taste of pasteurization. This is a necessary measure, without which it is impossible to put on the shelves good milk, which will not cause poisoning and problems in the digestive tract.

What milk
better?

On the label of industrial milk you can find the inscriptions "whole" and "normalized". Not all consumers know what they mean. Whole milk is a product of natural fat content, which ranges from 2.8 to 5% .. And "normalized" milk can be made from several types of milk of various fat content: most often it is a combination of skim and fat milk, brought to standard fat content - 1%, 2.5% or 3.2%.

The technology for the production of dairy products includes the obligatory processing of milk at high temperature. This is necessary in order to disinfect milk and provide it with a longer shelf life. The result is:

• pasteurized milk. It can be stored up to 15 days.
• almost sterile milk. The shelf life of such a product is 6-9 months.

What milk
buy for
  yogurt?

If you like homemade yogurt enriched with live bacteria and make it from store milk, buy a pasteurized unfiltered product. In terms of its composition and qualitative characteristics, it is closest to raw milk. And remember: yogurt will not work from sterilized and ultra-pasteurized milk. Such milk does not sour!

Today, I haven’t heard about antibiotics in milk unless I’m deaf. This topic is actively discussed by the media, the best experts are invited to comment: people want to know - can there really be antibiotics in milk, and what can it threaten them with?

Indeed, the world community has cause for concern. Antibiotics are often used in the treatment of cattle, but regulatory documentation prescribes that cattle should be quarantined during animal illness. The latter should be maintained for some time after recovery - until the moment when antibiotics are removed from the body of the animal in a natural way. However, not all manufacturers adhere to the necessary safety conditions! And then in a dairy product, laboratory tests find antibiotic substances. But, fortunately, these phenomena are rare.

Expert Commentary

Antibiotics are substances of natural or semi-synthetic origin that inhibit the growth of living cells. Along with the treatment of people with inflammatory diseases, animals are also given antibiotics. Cow's milk, which was given antibiotics, should be quarantined, but because of the economic disadvantage, producers often do not do this, but put milk into production.

It is impossible for customers to identify for themselves whether antibiotics are present in milk - without laboratory tests. By themselves, these substances are not harmful to the human body, but their accumulation can lead to the inaction of similar antibiotics. That is, a person uses similar antibiotics, and they do not work.

How to recognize milk with antibiotics? You can leave pure milk in a glass for 4-5 hours with the addition of sour cream. Natural milk will turn into yogurt, and yogurt will not work from milk with antibiotics. It is impossible to neutralize antibiotics. If you find that your milk is with antibiotics, then you should abandon this product.

If pasteurized milk does not sour, in most cases this indicates the content of antibiotic substances in it. But do not blame the manufacturer if you are dealing with pasteurized filtered milk! Manufacturers seal this product with nitrogen. Therefore, at the end of the expiration date, milk does not sour, but becomes “carbonated”.

It is impossible to determine the quality of milk “by eye”, so consumers have to trust their taste and personal sensation. Many do not believe in the benefit of milk with a long shelf life, believing that everything that is stored for more than two weeks is “solid chemistry”. In fact, the expiration date and the "naturalness" of milk are not synonyms. Manufacturers have many ways to extend the shelf life of a drink, while the feedstock can be anything.

Moreover, producing low-quality milk with a short shelf life is even more profitable for the manufacturer, people are buying up such a product faster, ”says Olga Soklova, researcher, expert at Roskontrol. So you should not focus only on this marker! Compliance with GOST and the presence of a certificate of quality and safety - these are markers that indicate milk that is healthy!

Roskontrol experts conducted research on pasteurized milk of 16 well-known brands. The main goal was to find out whether there is counterfeit milk on the shelves - milk with potentially dangerous additives (starch, chalk, soda and soap). Among other criteria for assessing the quality of the product, it was taken into account whether vegetable fats are used in the manufacture, and does milk comply with GOST standards? The best results of the study were products of the brands "Prostokvashino", "Amka", "Milk River", "Our Farm", "Yasniy Meadow", "Vologda", "Lianozovsky", "Big Circle".

Be healthy! Drink products of decent quality!

Useful Services  Using this service, you can calculate the amount of water you need.

There is no way to check the taste of milk, smell it or conduct some additional primary tests, as in the market. Moreover, milk is often sealed in paper or plastic opaque packaging, which means that it is not possible to see the contents. In other words, all that is given to a person to make the right decision is packaging. From how carefully it will be read and it will depend on whether the purchase takes place or not.

Types of milk

1. Whole milk. It is considered the most natural, its processing is minimal. In its manufacture, milk is homogenized in order to turn the drink into a homogeneous mass. The separation process is thus excluded, that is, the fat content of the milk remains natural. The difficulty lies in the fact that whole milk from the same cows at different times of the year may differ. Typically, whole milk is almost entirely directed towards normalized production. The supply of pure whole milk to stores is the exception rather than the rule. The cost of such a product will be considerable. Most often it is bottled in plastic bottles. The fat content of such milk, even from one manufacturer, will differ from batch to batch, and this should be indicated on the packaging. The shelf life of such a drink is small - no more than 10 days.
2. Normalized. It is made by separating whole milk. The result is a fatty substance and skim milk. Then a huge batch of skim milk is adjusted to the necessary fat content by adding cream or whole milk.
3. Reconstituted milk. For its preparation use condensed milk or milk powder. When mixed with water or whey, a milk drink is obtained. That is how the “milk drink” should be written on the label, and no other way, no matter how attractive its name may be. The mineral composition and calorie content of reconstituted milk is almost identical to normalized, but valuable drink has no longer any valuable enzymes and milk bacteria.
   

   Attention! Saying that reconstituted milk is absolutely NOT USEFUL is also impossible. This milk is perfect for restoring muscle mass to athletes, since the protein in it remains unchanged. The presence of calcium and phosphorus in reconstituted milk also remains high. Finally, this type of milk is the most affordable at its price.

4. Pasteurized. Almost any store contains about 90% of this type of milk on the shelves. The pasteurization process itself speaks of heating the drink to 65-90 degrees for several minutes. This temperature allows you to kill most pathogenic bacteria, but the beneficial milk microflora remains. The pasteurization process allows you to extend the shelf life of the product. Most often, the manufacturer indicates the shelf life of pasteurized milk 10-14 days, although in some cases it can be lower, within 7 days. Pasteurized milk does not need to be additionally heated, or even boiled before use. It is immediately ready for use. It can also be used to make pancakes, cereals, soups and other dishes.
5. Ultra-pasteurized. In this case, the process of heating the milk does not take long, about 1-2 seconds, but the temperature for ultra-pasteurization is much higher, 125-138 degrees. This allows you to further increase the shelf life of milk, up to several months at room temperature. After opening the package, milk should be consumed no later than 4-5 days. Ultra-pasteurization cannot be compared with boiling. When boiled, vitamin C is destroyed, and many trace elements, such as calcium and phosphorus, pass into compounds that are poorly absorbed by the body.
6. Sterilized. In this case, the milk is heated to 100 degrees and above several times. Of course, not only harmful microbes are destroyed, but also unique useful dairy microorganisms that make up the flora of the drink. Such milk in closed form will be stored without problems for six months. It is better to buy it for cooking cereals, soups, pancakes and other dishes, where during the preparation the drink will be repeatedly exposed to heat.

   

7. Baked milk. It can be recognized by the cream color. For its preparation, milk is kept at a temperature of 85-98 degrees for several hours. This changes not only the color, but also the structure of milk. It becomes thick, its fat content increases. If a person has problems with the cardiovascular system, cholesterol is elevated, then it is better to refuse to buy baked milk.
8. Vitaminized. In this case, microelements are artificially added to the drink. Not all doctors are delighted with such innovations and believe that artificial analogues are absorbed much worse than natural ones.
9. Lactose-free. It has appeared on the shelves in recent years. Milk sugar was removed from it by complex membrane separation. If a person has no allergy or intolerance to milk sugar, but there is no need to consume exclusively lactose-free milk either. Moreover, because of the difficulty in isolating lactose, such milk is much more expensive.

What else to look for

Of course, for the expiration date. Delay in any store is a violation that is punishable by law. Next, read the volume of milk on the label. Many manufacturers act very cunningly, reducing the pack volume by 5-10%. Thus, a person does not buy a liter of milk, as he thinks, but only 900-950 ml.

Least of all is it to be wary of milk from large well-known producers. As a rule, they value their reputation, and therefore carefully monitor the purity of raw milk supplied to the processing plant, and also do their best to ensure that their products on the counter win in all respects. However, new manufacturers can please with high-quality and inexpensive products.

It is unreasonable to wait for a miracle, namely - fat whole milk in the winter. With the onset of cold weather, many producers are faced with a decrease in milk yield and total fat content of milk, and only a few manage to maintain production at the same level. That is why the quality of milk in the winter period can be slightly reduced, for example, due to the addition of dry milk powder. This can be felt during the tasting.

Tip. You can conduct home experience, allowing you to find out if milk is diluted with water at the factory. For this, 2 tablespoons of alcohol are mixed with 1 tbsp. milk, vigorously shake for 30-40 seconds and pour onto a flat plate. In high-quality undiluted milk, flakes form after 5 seconds. In the case of diluted milk, the formation of flakes will have to wait much longer. The more water added, the longer it will take.

Finally, you can get the opinion of independent experts. So, there is a program “Test purchase”, where experts purchase several of the most popular types of products - milk, and test them. Not only the opinion and reviews of unauthorized third-party buyers are used, but also a laboratory study. The latest program of 2016 was released on September 6, and you can view it on the channel’s website. The 2016-2017 season generally paid a lot of attention to the primary foods that people consume every day. Today, the results of their research are available to everyone.

Test purchase of milk - video

PHOTO Getty images

Milk is a real storehouse of amino acids, vitamins and minerals, the most 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 lost an average of 6 kilograms without effort in 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 precisely with milk fats.

And the opinion that milk is contraindicated in adults is a fallacy. It really is poorly absorbed in people with lactose deficiency and gives them a lot of unpleasant sensations, but such a minority among us. Milk sugar, lactose, is almost completely absorbed in a healthy body.

"In the meadow grazing mu ..."

The quality of milk primarily depends on decent livestock conditions. It seems to many an idyllic picture - a cow grazes in the floodplains ... It turns out that this is not so. Cows in the meadow are rather a sign of the plight of the farm. The taste of milk is highly dependent on feed, and in the field it is difficult to track what a cow eats. She chewed wormwood - everything, milk was worthless, with bitterness, and a rare smell appeared from colza. In addition, the soil, and therefore grass, may be contaminated with nitrates. Milking a cow in the field is unhygienic, moreover, the milkmaid in such conditions is not able to track whether the cow is healthy or not.

Today on many farms for dairy cows quite decent living conditions are created without grazing. Even if they are kept on a leash, the cows are still led to the promenade. “At our two Dubna-plus farms, the cows are built in such a way that the cows are in them around the clock without a leash,” says Yuri Neyasov, manager of the Cheburashkin Brothers dairy farm. Family Farm. " - The movement has a good effect on the well-being of animals, they give more milk, saturated with vitamins and nutrients. On each farm, we built two buildings for the dairy herd that meet the requirements of the physiology of the cow - light, with good ventilation, non-slippery floors, equipped with all necessary modern equipment. It also includes a milking parlor, a maternity ward and two calf houses. On the other two farms - "Vasilievsky" and "Ilino" - there are as many buildings, but the animals are on a leash. In this case, milking occurs in the stall, and “walk” - on a special platform on the street. In the future, we plan to transfer all our farms to loose housing. ”

Farms that adhere to the principles of subsistence farming have their own fields planted with grass and crops. More than half of the cow's menu consists of hay, haylage (finely chopped clover and other herbs) and corn silage. These feeds, rich in vitamins and amino acids, are very important for obtaining high-quality, aromatic and tasty milk. In addition, animals are fed compound feed and minerals such as salt, chalk and phosphate. In some farms, cows are even treated with dessert - caramel, so that the feed is better absorbed. If the conditions of feeding and keeping the cows are maintained, the milk has a pleasant, warm smell and a delicate, slightly sweet taste. Color - white, with a slightly yellowish tinge. Baked milk has a creamy tint, and for a low-fat product, a slightly bluish color is acceptable. In no case should milk have a sour taste, fodder or shed smell - this indicates poor content, poor feed and milking, 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 maintain harmony. Residents of the United States and Canada in the 70s, who ate and did sports just as much as their compatriots today, weighed 10% less. According to scientists, the reason is in the hormones and antibiotics used today in animal husbandry. The former use it so that livestock builds weight faster and gives more milk, the latter use it so that animals are less sick and feed is better absorbed. Once in the human body, hormones change the metabolism, and antibiotics - the intestinal microflora, and all together leads to weight gain.

In addition to obesity, hormones can cause early puberty, cancers and allergies, and antibiotics can cause the emergence of drug resistant bacteria strains.

Hormones in the US dairy and meat industry 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 in the treatment of diseased animals. All meat and milk imported from abroad in our country is examined and, if dangerous additives are found, they are not allowed into stores. The situation is more complicated with internal control: it has not yet been possible to establish an uninterrupted check of each shipment 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 dairy cows often suffer from. Hormones are used in violation of reproductive function. At the same time, the sick cow must be isolated from the herd, milked, but milk is destroyed or, after thorough disinfection, the calves are fed.

Conscious producers control the quality of milk at every stage - from feeding and milking to sale. Ideally, milk arriving at the plant should go through several stages of testing - first in the reception laboratory, and then in the microbiological and physico-chemical.

“In the reception laboratory, each batch of milk is examined for the content of antibiotics and inhibitors, as well as for purity, mass fraction of fat, protein and other important indicators. A microbiological laboratory checks milk for bacterial contamination, such as E. coli. In addition, it is very useful from time to time to hand over milk and finished products to independent laboratories, which we do, ”says Vladimir Neyasov.

What do we see on shelves in stores?

The modern content of cows, the correct selection of fresh, environmentally friendly feed allows you to supply high-quality, safe, tasty and healthy dairy products to stores. But there is still a risk of getting a dose of hormones or antibiotics from a dishonest manufacturer with a glass of milk. That is why you should carefully study the information about the manufacturers represented in your store, read the opinions of experts and find the results of independent checks (this is readily written in the newspapers). Having collected all the information, make a choice in favor of those who maintain a compromise between farming and the mass production of milk using advanced technologies. The path is not the easiest, but perhaps the only right one. To get more benefits from milk, buy not an ultra-pasteurized, open "living" whole month, but an ordinary, pasteurized one, which sour on the third day even in the refrigerator. Gentle heat treatment preserves in the milk a maximum of precious vitamins, amino acids and trace elements. And yet - nutritionists advise drinking milk separately from other foods. So it will be better absorbed and not interfere with the digestion of food, the absorption of iron and other useful substances.