What’s in our milk?

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When I go grocery shopping, I see all kinds of milk products lining the shelves; UHT milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, fresh milk, and even raw milk. This made me me wonder – what's actually in our milk?

1) Sweetened condensed milk

• 60% of water is removed
• 40-45% sugar
• minimum of 8% fat
• a percentage of milk solids.

It's also pasteurized, high in calories, and contains added sugar. A popular local brand is Nestle's sweetened condensed milk, and you'll find it in teh tarik, teh halia, and other local drinks.

2) Evaporated milk

60% of its water is removed through evaporation. After that, it's homogenised, rapidly chilled, vitamins and stabilisers are added, and then sterilized. You can also find skim and low-fat versions too.

3) UHT milk

Ultra-high treated milk is sterilized by being heated to temperatures of up to 135 degrees celcius. The high temperature can cause the milk to taste and smell different. UHT is popular in many tropical countries because it can last from six to nine months on the shelf. A popular local brand is Dutch Lady.

4) Fresh milk

Fresh milk is homogenised and pasturized. A local option is Farmhouse, and their cows are based in Mawai, Kota Tinggi, Johor Baru. Their Facebook page contains cute pictures of their cows.

4) Raw milk

Raw milk is unhomogenised and unpasturized. A fantastic local producer of raw milk is Bright Cow , and I recommend them. Their farm is based in Bukit Rotan, Kuala Selangor. They also do home deliveries for certain parts of the Klang Valley. This is my milk of choice, and I honestly feel like it's the creamiest and tastiest milk. The health benefits of raw milk are also well-documented . It doesn't last very long in the fridge, so drink it up while you can!

Knowing what's in your milk connects you to the story of your food. This will help you decide about what kind of milk you'd like to purchase for your family. Here's to informed and healthy milk choices!

References:
What's the difference between evaporated and sweetened condensed milk?

Ultra-high temperature processing

Bright Cow

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