Milk is a nutrient-rich liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It serves as the primary source of nutrition for infant mammals before they are able to digest solid food. Milk is composed of water, fat, proteins, lactose (milk sugar), minerals, vitamins, and enzymes.

Production

• Milking. Modern dairies use automated milking machines to extract milk from cows, goats, or other milk-producing animals.
• Pasteurization. To ensure that milk is safe for consumption, it is heated to a specific temperature for a set period to kill harmful bacteria. This process is called pasteurization.
• Homogenization. This is a process that breaks down fat molecules in milk so that they stay integrated rather than separating as cream. It gives milk a uniform consistency.
• Packaging. Once processed, milk is packaged in bottles, cartons, or bags and is ready for distribution.

Benefits

Nutritional Value. Milk is a rich source of essential nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins A and D.

Bone Health. The calcium and vitamin D in milk are crucial for bone health and can help prevent osteoporosis.

Muscle Growth. Milk is a good source of protein, which is essential for muscle growth and repair.

Hydration. Being primarily composed of water, milk helps in hydration.

Digestive Health Some fermented milk products, like yogurt, contain probiotics that can benefit digestive health.

Other Points

Lactose Intolerance. Some people cannot digest lactose, the sugar in milk, due to a deficiency in the enzyme lactase. They may experience digestive discomfort after consuming milk or milk products.

Varieties. There are various types of milk available in the market, including whole milk, skimmed milk, 2% milk, lactose-free milk, and plant-based alternatives like almond, soy, and oat milk.

Uses. Apart from direct consumption, milk is used to produce a variety of products like cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, and many baked goods.

Milk has been a staple in human diets for thousands of years and continues to be valued for its nutritional benefits and versatility in cooking and baking.

Cow's milk is used in many applications:

• uman nutrition
• animal nutrition
• food industry
• cosmetics
• medicine

With regard to  human nutrition, cow's milk is treated industrially with the pasteurization process to destroy pathogenic bacteria that can cause risks to human health.

We find it on the market as:

• Fresh whole milk 67 kcal/100g

pasteurized within 48 hours of milking

• Fresh pasteurized whole milk 67 kcal/100g

pasteurized several times after 48 hours of milking

• Skim milk 38 kcal/100g

degreased

• Partially skimmed milk 48 kcal/100g

Partially degreased

• ESL milk

microfiltered

• UHT milk

homogenized and preheated to 135 degrees

The industry uses cow’s milk mainly in these forms:

• Milk powder

dehydrated

• Whole milk powder

dehydrated

• Skim milk powder

dehydrated

• Dehydrated skim milk

dehydrated

• Rehydrated skim milk

dehydrated and subsequently rehydrated

The most natural form of cow's milk is raw milk, directly harvested after milking, which must be immediately stored in the refrigerator and drunk only after boiling to eliminate microbiological risks.

The advantages (for those who are not allergic) of cow's milk are manifold as cow's milk is a source of carbohydrates, calcium, proteins and other interesting nutrients that can lead to an increase in the concentration of amino acids resulting in improved muscle function (1).

Consumption of 500 mL milk attenuated losses in muscle function following repeated sprinting and jumping and thus may be a valuable recovery intervention for female team-sport athletes following this type of exercise (2).

Milk consumption on bone and fracture incidence: studies on the effects of milk or whey extracts show positive effects on bone health or risk of hip fracture. Nevertheless a few contradictory epidemiological studies showed an increased risk of hip fractures in subjects drinking higher quantities of milk (3).

Rural life is considered a promising system against asthma and allergies. Although this associative mechanism has not been fully clarified, this study presents an up-to-date under standing of the protective effect of raw milk on allergies and asthma (4).

Cow's milk studies

Cow's milk allergy studies

References____________________________________________________

(1) Lawlor MJ, Hills FA, Bell PG, Stevenson EJ, Cockburn E. The effect of milk on recovery from repeat-sprint cycling in female team-sport athletes.  Rankin P,   Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2018 Feb;43(2):113-122. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2017-0275.

(2) Rankin P, Landy A, Stevenson E, Cockburn E.  Milk: An Effective Recovery Drink for Female Athletes.  Nutrients. 2018 Feb 17;10(2). pii: E228. doi: 10.3390/nu10020228.

(3) Fardellone P. The effect of milk consumption on bone and fracture incidence, an update.   Aging Clin Exp Res. 2019 Jun;31(6):759-764. doi: 10.1007/s40520-019-01192-9.

(4) Sozańska B.   Raw Cow's Milk and Its Protective Effect on Allergies and Asthma.  Nutrients. 2019 Feb 22;11(2). pii: E469. doi: 10.3390/nu11020469. Review.

(5) World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guidelines  Alessandro Fiocchi, (Chair), Jan Brozek, Holger Schünemann, (Chair), Sami L. Bahna, Andrea von Berg, Kirsten Beyer, Martin Bozzola, Julia Bradsher, Enrico Compalati, Motohiro Ebisawa, Maria Antonieta Guzman, Haiqi Li, Ralf G. Heine, Paul Keith, Gideon Lack, Massimo Landi, Alberto Martelli, Fabienne Rancé, Hugh Sampson, Airton Stein, Luigi Terracciano, and Stefan Vieths  World Allergy Organ J. 2010 Apr; 3(4): 57–161.  10.1097/WOX.0b013e3181defeb9