According to recent studies, on average, each Russian consumes only 240 kg of dairy products per year. This is clearly not enough from a physiological point of view. The consumption rate is about 380 kg.

Drinking milk per capita in Russia accounts for about 30 liters, while in the EU countries - from 80 to 130 liters. The average consumption of fermented milk drinks (kefir and others) in Russia is about 16 liters per person per year, which is 2-2.5 times less than in developed countries. Cheese Russians consume about 7 kg per year, while in Germany, Greece, France, Switzerland - more than 20 kg. Hence the main recommendation of Russian nutritionists is to drink more milk and fermented milk drinks, eat more cottage cheese and cheese.

In this article, our experts from the dairy industry talked about why milk is so useful and how to choose the right one in the store.

Milk composition

Milk has a complex composition, which depends on many factors: the physiological state of the animal, breed, feeding ration, season. The milk of animals of the same species (for example, cows) can have different characteristics in different animals.

In general, the composition of milk is quite complex. The product contains more than a hundred organic (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, enzymes, vitamins) and inorganic (water, mineral salts, gases) substances.

Milk proteins are the most valuable component of milk. They are more complete than meat and fish proteins and are digested faster. Protein is essential for the formation of new cells in the human body. Milk proteins are made up of three components: casein, albumin and globulin, which are dissolved in raw milk.

All milk proteins belong to the group of complete proteins, i.e. those that contain all 20 amino acids. Among them are 8 essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the human body and must be supplied with food. The absence of at least one of them entails metabolic disorders. Among the essential amino acids, three are especially important: methionine, lysine and tryptophan.

Lactose is milk sugar. It is a stimulant of the nervous system and a prophylactic agent for cardiovascular diseases.

Despite the use of lactose for medicinal purposes, in many people lactose is not absorbed and causes disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system. These people lack or produce insufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase. The purpose of lactase is to break down lactose into its parts, glucose and galactose, which must then be adsorbed by the small intestine. With insufficient lactase function, lactose remains in the intestine in its original form, binds water and causes further digestive disorders.

As geneticists found out, humanity did not immediately learn to benefit from such a unique product as milk. Milk tolerance only appeared with the spread of the gene for lactose tolerance. It is known that this gene originated in Northern Europe around 5000 BC. e., where it currently has the highest frequency. The good tolerance of milk sugar gave the carriers of this gene a survival advantage and allowed it to spread widely.

Impaired lactase synthesis is the cause of congenital milk intolerance in newborns. In some adults, lactase activity may decrease, and then dairy products will also be difficult to digest. The reason for this is a disease of the digestive tract or prolonged abstinence from drinking milk. But these changes are not associated with age, but with the characteristics of the digestive system of an individual.

Milk fat is a rich source of energy for the body. The fat is easily digested. It is found in milk in the form of tiny fat globules. Milk fat is the most complete: it contains all currently known fatty acids, including essential ones, which are not synthesized by the body, but must be supplied with food. Milk fat is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K, which are almost absent in other animal fats.

Minerals - salts of calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, citric, phosphoric, hydrochloric and other acids. They are found in milk in an easily digestible form. Milk contains trace elements in small amounts: cobalt, copper, zinc, manganese, fluorine, bromine, iodine, arsenic, silicon, boron, vanadium, etc. Trace elements are necessary for the restoration of blood, lymph, gastric and intestinal juice, sweat, saliva, tears etc. Without their participation, the activity of such important endocrine glands as the thyroid, genital, etc. would be impossible.

Vitamins. Milk contains fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble vitamins (B group and ascorbic acid). Currently, over 30 vitamins are known to be found in milk. However, it is a significant source of only three of them:

• Vitamin A is retinol. Formed in the intestinal mucosa of animals from feed carotenes. The daily human need for vitamin A is 1 mg. Summer milk is richer in this vitamin, in contrast to winter milk. Storage of milk leads to a decrease in vitamin A. This vitamin withstands heat well (up to 120 ° C) without access to air. Destroyed by oxygen and light.
• Vitamin B1 is thiamin. The daily requirement for it is 2 mg. Degrades in an alkaline environment.
• Vitamin B2 - riboflavin. The daily requirement is also 2 mg. Milk pasteurization almost does not reduce the content of this vitamin.

Milk name and fat content

The name of the milk that is sent to the store for sale must indicate the degree of heat treatment (pasteurized, sterilized, ultra-pasteurized). The lower it is (the lowest temperature processing is from 63 to 120 ° C in pasteurized), the shorter the shelf life of the product.

With which fat content to choose, everyone is determined independently: it depends on the preference of the consumer and the purpose of using the milk.

Date of development (manufacture) of the product and expiration date

This information is usually represented by two rows of numbers representing the day, month and year. For example: 05/11/11, production date, 05/26/11. expiration date (use before the specified date).

Pasteurized milk can be stored in packaging at a temperature of about 4 ° C for 3 to 20 days. After opening the package, milk should be used within 24 hours.

Sterilized milk can have a shelf life of 45 days to 6-8 months.

UHT milk has a shelf life of 6 to 12 months.

NB! Do not buy food that expires on the next day.

Integrity and cleanliness of packaging, location in the store

Even minor damage to the packaging leads to spoilage of the milk. Therefore, be sure to evaluate how the milk is packaged. Also, bona fide manufacturers put clearly readable information on the label and provide their phone numbers and contacts for providing feedback and possible complaints.

All dairy products (except for sterilized, powdered and condensed milk) should be on refrigerated shelves, and not stand on pallets in the hall.

NB! Milk purchased in the markets from private individuals, from jars, cans or cisterns, is subject to mandatory boiling.

"Drink, children, milk - you will be healthy!" It was with this motto that many, many generations of children were brought up and grew up. But times are changing, and there are less and less opportunities to drink real homemade milk "just from under the cow". It is being replaced by store-bought, industrial milk. And it is far from always possible to say that it will be useful for your body.

If right now you take and go to any store, to the dairy department, then at best, the percentage of ten packages will indicate which milk the manufacturer has poured into the container. And even then it is far from a fact that the truth will be written on the packaging. The most plausible would be the inscription: "Made from milk powder" or "With the addition of milk powder." In other cases, it is generally not clear what is in the package.

The most surprising thing is that there are a lot of other inscriptions on packages without specifying the composition, somehow “fresh”, “high quality”, “unique”, “natural” and generally the best. In general, the main goal of manufacturers of such products is to sell their goods. They do not care what will happen to people (with children in particular) who will drink this milk.

Let's consider the "usefulness" of different types of milk. The most unambiguous and unbeatable is natural, homemade milk. It does not undergo any industrial processing, it has its own fat content, inherent in the very cow that gave it. A glass of such milk will give a person about 13% of the daily intake of protein, phosphorus -18%, vitamin B2 - 12%, vitamin B12 - 15%, potassium - 10%, and, of course, a quarter of the daily intake of calcium. By the way, it is precisely because of the high calcium content that dietitians advise to consume milk daily. Also, such milk will contain a fairly high proportion of magnesium, zinc, 35 mg of fatty acids, which are necessary for the human body.

The next type will be "whole" milk. As you know, it has rather large fat globules, it is they who give the fresh milk such a specific taste. So, the quantity and, if I may say so, the quality of these balls from cow to cow is different. It is on them that the fat content of milk is determined. Producers, on the other hand, need milk taken from different cows to have a certain level of fat content. For this, as well as in order for dairy products to be suitable for mass consumption, a homogenization procedure is performed. That is, the milk is mixed until a homogeneous, or rather a uniformly fatty mass. That is, as if passing fat globules through special millstones, rubbing them until smooth. Milk that has undergone such processing will be called whole, since milk and fat, although they are brought to a homogeneous mass, are still one whole. Such a product will have a natural percentage of liquid and its qualities will not be so much inferior to natural milk. Its taste will be slightly different, it will also lose the ability to create a creamy film on its surface, but nevertheless, it is such milk that is the most useful store milk.

Below in the pyramid of usefulness is normalized milk. This is the name of milk that has passed the following technological procedure - separation, that is, the separation of the original dairy product into a fat mixture and liquid. This procedure is carried out in order to control the level: they added more fat and less liquid - they got milk of increased (but fixed) fat content, added a fraction of the fat - got diet milk. This is how the fixed fat content is most often achieved - 1%, 2.8%, 3.2% and so on.

Should be discussed separately. There are several types of heat treatment, characterized by the presence of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the final product. After processing, we obtain the following types of milk: sterilized, pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized and baked. Sterilized milk is the safest, but it practically does not contain bacteria, none, neither beneficial nor harmful. Pasteurized milk is the most popular type of milk now; it is processed for only a few minutes at temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius and practically does not contain harmful bacteria, with almost complete preservation of beneficial bacteria. The main disadvantage of pasteurized milk is its short shelf life. UHT is a cross between pasteurized and sterile milk. And what is baked milk, I think, everyone knows.

Those who like to drink milk should not refuse it, but if possible it is better to use the most natural and pasteurized milk at the lowest temperature. Also, you should never force a person who does not want to drink milk. Since there is no desire, it means that the body does not need milk.

More on the topic:

Improving the quality of milk due to its rapid cooling Creation of conditions for obtaining high quality milk Analysis of the economic efficiency of milk production Why does milk spoil quickly? Water requirement of dairy cows

For those who have drunk real steam at least once, dairy products from the supermarket may seem at least strange. They have a completely different, unusual taste, which is called "powdery". Let's see how it differs from under a cow from products produced in an industrial environment. Is it really more beneficial for the body? And how not to run into food of dubious quality in the supermarket?

What is the difference between natural and store-bought dairy products?

Since 2013, the Customs Union has had a technical regulation “On the safety of milk and dairy products”. It is designed to protect the lives and health of people, to prevent manufacturers from misleading buyers about the quality of products.

The technical regulations list more than 100 types of dairy products. All of them are combined into 3 large groups:

1. Dairy products - drinking milk, sour cream cheese. Such products are made from milk or its constituents, without the addition of non-dairy fats and proteins. The composition may contain additional components that are needed for milk processing.
2. Dairy products - yoghurts with crispy flakes, curds with fruit pieces. These products are also made from milk and its constituents, which are partially replaced by non-dairy components. The share of milk should be more than 50%, and in ice cream and sweet milk processing products - over 40%.
3. Milk-containing products - sour cream, processed cheese. Such products are made from milk, its constituents and dairy products, but the permissible share of milk fat substitute is 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 is dairy products. Dairy ingredients and milk-containing products are cheaper, but there are no nutrients left in them, and the taste may have little to do with the taste of real milk.

How to read the label correctly?

Always read the label before purchasing dairy products. Please note the following information:

1. Name - if the product contains non-dairy components, it must be marked that it is a milk-containing product.
2. A manufacturer's standard or technical document according to which milk is processed. Please note that, unlike GOST, the manufacturer can change TU (technical conditions) at his discretion.
3. Composition listing all ingredients.
4. Mass fraction of fat in percent. For processed cheese, cheese products and non-fat milk processing products, the percentage of fat in dry matter is indicated.
5. Mass fraction of milk fat - indicated on the packages of milk-containing products.
6. The content of microorganisms - lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria and other probiotics.
7. The content of micro- and macroelements, vitamins and their relation to the daily human needs.

A separate issue is the expiration date. Dairy products made from natural milk without the addition of chemicals are always perishable, but such products can only be found with great difficulty in stores. If the shelf life is 3 days or more, then the product contains preservatives. The longer it can be stored, the more chemistry it contains and the fewer components useful for the body.

For a number of reasons, many families have children from birth. Parents are gradually introducing ordinary store milk into the diet, replacing them with milk formulas. Is it harmful and at what age should a child be given this product from the store?

Store-bought milk and adapted formula milk: 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 turn sour for weeks at room temperature. It is difficult to get tasty curdled milk or cottage cheese from it.

Store milk is sterilized at high temperatures. It may contain an antibiotic that gets into the diet of cows through imported feed, and we get it from the cow in the finished product. Many types of long-term milk contain preservatives that are allergic not only to a child, but also to an adult. Sometimes soda is added to milk powder during the manufacturing process to extend the shelf life. All this in no way adds to the usefulness of the store product.

Unlike store-bought milk, infant formula contains essential trace elements and vitamins. They have a stable composition and the milk protein of the mixture does 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 remains, from what age it is still possible to introduce ordinary milk into the diet of children.

Note to moms!

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Children from the age of three are ideal for appearing on 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 milk is given to a child.

If the baby is found, then from a year you can try to introduce special baby food into the menu - milk and lactic acid products intended for the corresponding child age. It is indicated on the package. As a rule, they are sold in small quantities up to half a liter. Baby milk does not need to be boiled. The diet of a one-year-old baby includes a glass of milk, provided it is well tolerated and there are no side reactions.

However, many mothers transfer bottle-fed babies to a store product much earlier. In the absence and disruptions in digestion, it is diluted and gradually added to cereals for children from 9-11 months. Mothers evaluate the reaction of the child's body to such an "adult" product. If a child develops various disorders or allergies, then pediatricians strongly advise to give up this new complementary food for about six months. It is advisable in this situation to obtain qualified recommendations from an experienced pediatrician.

What kind of store milk is best for a child?

Gradually introducing store-bought 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.

There are many products in our stores. A lot of all kinds of sneakers, fruits and even useful (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 most chances to buy not only poor quality, but also, frankly, harmful goods. Rosselkhoznadzor recently published a list of what is in store milk. We present only the most unpleasant excerpts from this frightening study.

Reconstituted milk
Very often, unscrupulous manufacturers replace whole milk with reconstituted milk made with the addition of vegetable fats. This, for example, is done in the manufacture of fermented milk products. Goat milk, which is more expensive, is restored more often.

Hydrogenated fats
Mixtures of different oils, hydrogenated fats - all this you can find in regular store milk. Generally speaking, the Ministry of Health recommends limiting the presence of such fats in the diet, since they contain a high concentration of trans fatty acids. Few manufacturers follow these guidelines.

a piece of chalk
Most often, ordinary chalk is added to sour cream and cottage cheese. It is not harmful - but tell me, who likes to eat chalk? Pay attention to the structure of the curd. Too crumbly, tasteless product will mean additives.

Sour cream
It's even easier here. If you don't want to use a bunch of additives, don't buy store-bought sour cream. Here you will probably stumble upon a product diluted with water, kefir, low-fat cottage cheese. Flavoring additives? The manufacturer prefers not to save on them.

Starch
Starch can be safely called the basis of the broth 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 costs. But the Ministry of Health explicitly prohibits doing this: the abundance of antibiotics reduces human immunity.