White gold in a glass?

The Health Writers’ Workshop, organised by the HEAL Foundation, in Pune, concluded one thing without doubt – that milk is the unsung hero of the food chain! However,

there are many factors and variables that determine that the goodness of milk remains intact. What are these? M&B gives you the low-down…

Milk is nature’s gift to life. All mammals, without exception, feed on mother’s milk as soon as they are born. And because humans are a more evolved species – we have the capacity for R&D – we have been able to process the idea that milk is a wholesome food for all ages. That’s why traditionally, milk is the single most popular food that mothers have struggled to push down their toddlers’ throats in good measure. And rightfully so, perhaps.

NUTRITIVE VALUE
Dr Sanjeev Bagai, Padmashree and BC Roy National Award winner, is an eminent paediatrician and is presently serving as the CEO & Dean of Radiant Life Care Pvt Ltd, Delhi, and CMD, Nephron Clinics & EdMed Health Care Pvt Ltd. “How we care for children today will impact their well-being in adulthood. Many of the insults leading to disease in later life begin in the paediatric age-group,” feels Dr Bagai. Therefore, it is very important to ensure good nutrition from an early age. Undoubtedly, all experts agree that mother’s milk is the best nutrition that a child can have till six months of age. But as soon as weaning begins at six months, it becomes critical to watch the quality of food that your child eats. Milk, for one, should form a major portion of the baby’s diet, say many doctors.

MILK IS A SOURCE OF:
Calcium – for healthy bones and teethPhosphorous – for energy releaseMagnesium – for muscle functionProtein – for growth and repairVitamin B12 – for production of healthy cells
Vitamin A – for good eyesight and immune function
Zinc – for immune function
Ribofl avin – for healthy skin
Folate – for production of healthy cells
Vitamin C – for formation of healthy connective tissues.
Iodine – for regulation of the body’s rate of metabolism (how quickly the body burns energy and the rate of growth)

Dr Bagai states, “One glass of milk alone can make a contribution to the daily recommended intake of many important nutrients for children.” He adds that Calcium cannot be made by the body so the dairy foods (milk, cheese, etc) that children eat and drink every day are important. “Most children under ? ve years get 70 per cent of their calcium from milk, 20 per cent from milk products such as cheese, yoghurt, custard, and 10 per cent from breakfast cereals,” he reveals.

IMPORTANCE OF GOOD QUALITY MILK
According to Dr Bagai, “The growing years, ie, birth till six years, are fundamentally important years of life and nutrition plays a major role in this. This is the foundation that shapes a child’s future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general. Thus, assurance of quality nutrition, especially in those foods which form the base of their diet, like milk, is very important.”

Dr Jagmeet Madan, principal and professor of the Department of Food & Nutrition at SVT College of Home Science, SNDT Women’s University (Juhu), Mumbai, goes a step further when she says, “Nourishing an expectant mother is equally important for a healthy upcoming generation.” She feels that the consumption of good quality milk should begin even before a child is conceived, should continue through pregnancy and till the lactation phase, for a child to reap full bene? t of the miracle food!

“Healthy nutrition during childhood is the foundation for a healthy body. It not only reinforces healthy eating habits but also prevents under-nutrition and over-nutrition. In a cross-sectional study on preschool children, it was found that under-nutrition persisting through childhood may have signi? cant effects on cognitive development, school achievement, and later health,” she suggests, adding that obesity, even in young children, confers increased risk of short and longer term morbidity and is particularly strongly associated with development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes later in life.

She shares the ? ndings of a study on nutritional bone disease in the Indian population, published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research:
*  Under-nutrition in childhood leads to  a skeletal de? cit that cannot be repaired during adolescent life.
* During growth, an adequate supply of calories, protein, mineral and vitamin D is a prerequisite for the attainment of peak bone mass.
*  Osteopaenia or osteoporosis was the uniform observation in skeletal radiographs of 1,300 protein-energy malnourished children

Dr Madan reiterates, however, that for a would-be mother as well as for the child, the quality of nutrients are as important as the quantity. “The completeness of proteins is important so as to be assimilated into the body. The quality of fats is important. They have to be Omega 3 monosaturated fats, which milk contains. Moreover, milk contains lactose – exclusive milk sugar, which is a good carb that helps in the absorption of calcium. Then, there are vitamins, folic acid and other essential minerals. In a nutshell, if I am looking at nutrient density in a de? ned quantity, milk is the best choice,” she stresses.

When asked what are the attributes of good quality milk, Dr Madan goes on to list the following:
* Safe to drink
* Retains all nutrients
* Free from contamination and adulteration
* Escapes the practice of boiling which causes loss of nutrients
* Does not require maintenance of cold chain thus reducing the chances of spoilage

WHAT COMPROMISES MILK QUALITY?
1. Adulteration
Dr Bagai explains that high quality milk needs to be pure. “Procurement from animal to ingestion is very important. Milk in the open form, no matter how well you know the source, is always viable to contamination,” he avers. He goes on to state that the quality of milk can only be secure if it is in packed form. When milk is adulterated, diluted or tampered with in any way, it causes reactions like gastroenteritis. This, reveals Dr Bagai, is often linked to milk tolerance or allergy, called lactose intolerance. “Actually, lactose intolerance is very rare. Milk is by far, a safe and secure nutritive source only compromised by improper handling.”

2. Boiling practices
According to Dr Bagai, most Indian women feel that boiling milk kills germs. Many feel the need to boil more than once to attain better thickness and nutrition in the form of milk cream. Nothing can be further from the truth than this. Boiling milk beyond a certain temperature and for longer duration actually kills its nutritive value. The ideal temperature to heat milk would be at 100 degrees for two minutes. Reheating is not required unless you want to drink it warm. Even then, avoid boiling. Dr Madan suggests cooling milk instantly after boiling to retain its nutritive value. “Keep the milk in a plate of cold water, or keep under a fan, cool immediately and then put in the refrigerator.”

3. Storage practices
Proper storage of milk is an important variable in maintaining its goodness. Dr Bagai reveals that around the 1970s, there was a spurt in the cases of jaundice and renal failure in Indian children, mainly boys. When researches went to depth to ? nd out the reason, it emerged that in these areas where it was rampant, like in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and northern India, milk was stored and boiled in copper vessels. Dr Bagai goes on to disclose that what these favoured male children were suffering was a severe form of copper toxicity from being fed copious amounts of milk improperly heated and stored. Similarly, there have been cases of lead toxicity as a result of small, ongoing daily consumption, which though not fatal, can lead to poor cognitive ability, among other things.

SHELF-LIFE AND TECHNOLOGY
As milk adulteration cases continue to make news, and age-old customs and rituals continue to be followed without question, there is need to understand the science behind the white liquid we all take for granted. “Mothers need to be sensitised regarding improper boiling practices, as it is a key act which depletes milk of its nutrients. And at the same time, they should also be aware about technologies that best protect milk in this context,” says Dr Bagai.

The shelf-life of pure milk is barely a few hours. Pasteurised milk can stay for about two days in a refrigerated temperature, whereas packaged milk has a shelf-life of about a month, without added preservatives.

Dr AK Singh, dairy technologist from the National Dairy Research Institute of India, Karnal, Haryana, states that the tradition of preserving milk is considered as old as cows and ? re! He says, “The introduction of pasteurisation is one of the most important milestones in the development of dairying. Through this process of heating milk up to a certain temperature and holding the temperature for a certain period of time, pasteurisation ensures that pathogenic bacteria are destroyed and the milk is rendered safe for consumption. However, its keeping time for extended periods can be compromised as its storage and transit is dependent on availability of an ef? cient and unbroken cold chain.”

Now, we have another advancement in technology. Dr Singh details the bene? t of Ultra-heat Treatment (UHT) in retaining the goodness of milk. It be de? ned as thermal processing of milk by heating it for an extremely short period (one-two seconds) at a temperature not less than 1,350 C, required to kill spores. “UHT creates minimal changes in the chemical and nutritional quality of milk. Only good quality of milk can undergo UHT treatment, which is then packaged in six-layer protective packaging. This is an important attribute in the Indian setting, as this makes retention of highest quality and nutrition of milk possible from start to consumption point,” says Dr Singh. M&B

ADVANTAGES OF UHT MILK
* Elimination of refrigerated transportation and storage
* Product has a longer shelf-life
* Product is safe for consumption
* Minimum change in product quality
* Longer delivery frequency
* Cost of storage and distribution reduced

IT’S ALL IN THE PACKAGING…
Tetra Pak India commenced packaging material production in early 1997 from its plant at Takwe, near Pune, Maharashtra. The packaging mate-rial production process involves ‘conversion’ of the raw materials ie, paper, aluminum foil and polyethylene, into a printed and laminated reel. This creates a six-layered pack, which is leak-proof and tamper-proof. ‘A pack-age should save more than it costs’ was the tenet of the founder of Tetra Pak, Dr Ruben Rausing. He was devoted towards fi nding a newer, better and cheaper alternative milk-packaging solution that would replace glass bottles and loose milk. The benefi ts of the package would outweigh the costs if the package helped maintain product quality, minimise waste and reduce distribution costs. Tetra Pak’s aseptic processing ensures that everything in the production chain is commercially sterile, including the food, packag-ing materials, machinery and the environment in which the packaging takes place. It removes all micro-organisms from milk, including bacterial spores. Ultra Heat Treatment (UHT) is given to milk and the heating period is so brief, it causes less damage to nutrients and fl avour compounds. It involves transferring the UHT-treated milk into pre-sterilised packages in a sterile environment. Because of the sterile packaging, there is no risk of contami-nation. Aseptic packaged milk has unparalleled hygienic quality, offering intact nutrients necessary for a child’s growth and development.

1 GLASS (250 ML) OF WHOLE MILK GIVES…
292.5 kcal
10.75 g Protein
525mg Calcium
325 mg Phosphorus
120 mcg Carotene
0.25 mg Ribofl avin
0.1 mg Thiamine
0.25 mg Niacin

KINDS OF MILK
In India, we have three types of milk available. These are…
Raw milk: Local vendors distribute milk to the consumers in aluminum cans, which are not safe due to poor hygiene practices among vendors. This milk is also more prone to adulteration and dilution.
Milk pouches: These are readily available in local dairy outlets. Quality and hygiene is maintained up to some extent, but maintenance of cold chain is a challenge.
Aseptic packaged milk: It is hygienic as it is packed under sterile conditions and has been lauded as one of the most important food science advancements of the 20th century.
Words Swati Chopra Vikamsey