Milk is a
food which is associated with mankind from time immemorial! Milk is the first
food we consume on birth! Milk is so close to mankind even God’s are very
closely associated with with….Lord Krishna fond of butter & curd, Lord
Anjaneya fond of butter, Sri Ram is associated with “Chaas” (Salted Butter
Milk) and Lord Vishnu is said to be sleeping in the ocean of milk on his
serpent bed of snake (Aadi Sesha).
Tirupati is one of the most visited temples of India. It is supposed to be the richest temple in the world. This temple too is associated
with Milk! As per mythology, Lord Mahavishnu starts a penance sitting in a
termitary for the sake of Padmavathi’s (Goddess Lakshmi’s) hand. He becomes
very hungry. Brahma in the form of a cow and calf is brought to the court of
Chola King and sold to the King by Parvathi who is disguised as a heardess.
Brahma would go for grazing every day, but would empty his udder in the termite
pit to satisfy the hunger of Lord Vishnu! Thus milk was the first choice of
Lord Maha Vishnu too!
For Hindus Cow is a very sacred animal and we have
mythological divine cows like Nandini & Kamadenu!
Scientifically speaking Milk is defined by FDA ( Food &
Drug Administration) as below:
“Milk is a lacteal secretion, practically free from
colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows. Milk
that is in final package form for beverage use shall have been pasteurized or
ultra pasteurized and shall contain not less than 8.25% Solids Not Fat and not
less than 3.25% milk fat. Milk may have been adjusted by separation part of
milk fat there from or by adding there to cream, concentrated milk, dry whole
milk, skimmed milk, concentrated skim milk or no fat dried milk. Milk may be
homogenized. “
If we go by the above definition what we have in India as
“milk” does not pass the above definition as we have most of the milk delivered
by Buffaloes!
We have Milk, Soya Milk, Almond Milk, Coconut Milk etc. But
can all of them be called as Milk!
By FDA definition these also do not pass or
qualify to be called milk as they do not come from Cows !
In India FSSAI (Food Safety & Standards Authority of
India) defines Milk as “ Milk is the
normal mammary secretion derived from complete milking of healthy milch animal
without either addition or extraction there from unless stated in the FSSAI
regulation. “
As FSSAI says “milch animal” cow, buffalo, sheep and goat
are all covered under this category.
“Colostrum” which is secreted by milch animals during first
few days after lactation is not to be included in milk as the same is for calf
only. This is explicitly mentioned in FDA and FSSAI excludes this by stating “Normal
Mammary Secretion”.
"Complete milking" is stated specifically by both FDA as well
as FSSAI because milk which is milked initially is found to be having less fat
percentage and last secretion is found to be of more fat percentage. Therefore
there is a need for complete milking!
Milk is a near normal food and a complete food too! It has
got Fat, Protein, Vitamins and minerals. Lactose which is known as Milk sugar
is found to have only 16% sweetness of Sucrose. Milk is also generally
fortified with Vitamin A & D. Milk can also be flavored with different flavors
to enhance its palatability.
Highest Per Capita Consumption of Milk is recorded in the
following countries:-
Luxembourg ….. 266.0 Kg./ Annum
Romania…………. 266.2 Kg/Annum
Albania ……………281.0
Kg/ Annum
Denmark…………..295.0 Kg/Annum
Lithuania……………303.0 Kg/Annum
Montenegro……. 306.0 Kg/Annum
Greece………………315.0 Kg/Annum
Switzerland……….316.0 Kg/ Annum
Netherlands………..320.0Kg/Annum
Sweden…………….. 356.0Kg/Annum
Finland………………. 361.0 Kg/Annum
Indian Condition:-
Milk Production in India has been Steadily growing.
Year Milk
Production Availability/Person/Day
2012-13… 132.4 MMT 299 ml
2013-14…. 137.7 MMT
307 ml
2014-15…. 146.3 MMT 322ml
2015-16….155.5 MMT
340 ml
( Million Metric Tons...MMT)
Country like India has got the highest number of bovine
population. Our quantum of milk production per annum has also been steadily
increasing. Despite this on account of our highest level of population per
capita availability of milk is very low. On account of this we are forced to
innovate indigenous methods to make milk available to all.
Milk has got two major components … Milk Fat which is the
costly component and Solid Non Fat which constitutes of protein, carbohydrate,
minerals etc.
Milk is prone for easy spoilage at room temperature as it
proves to be the best breeding ground for all bacteria, yeast and mould. In
order to arrest that milk is pasteurized by heating it to a minimum temperature
of 71.6 C and holding the same for 16 seconds and cooling milk to immediately
to less than 5 C. This is the best way to extend shelf life of milk.
Milk is homogenized to break the fat globules to less than 2
micron size. This gives full body to milk, brighter white color and prevents
fat separation / cream plug/ cream layer formation.
By blending, altering, modifying Fat and SNF we have been
extending the availability of milk to masses and at the same time helping obese
population to stay away from excess fat!!!
Type of Milk
Fat
SNF
Skimmed Milk < 0.5 % 8.7%
Double Toned Milk 1.5% 9.0%
Toned Milk
3.0% 8.5%
Standardized Milk 4.5% 8.5%
Mixed Milk 4.5% 8.5%
Recombined Milk 3.0% 8.5%
Full Cream Milk 6.0% 9.0%
Buffalo Milk 5-6%
9.0%
Cow Milk 3-4% 8.5%
Goat / Sheep 3-3.5% 9.0%
that you know most of the terminology associated with
liquid milk you will not be puzzled by what is seen / displayed on the super
market shelf !!!l
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