Ultra pasteurized or non-organic: The dairy aisle quandry
I am a big fan of milk. We drink a lot of it in our house. I have a three-year-old and a one-year-old with only two beverage options: milk and water. Currently there are two one gallon jugs of milk in my refrigerator as my one-year-old will be on whole milk for another year and the rest of us drink skim. I have a constant internal debate over local versus organic milk every time I buy a gallon as I am concerned about antibiotics given to dairy cows. But my last trip to the store had me scratching my head.
I have my defaults when choosing milk. There are a couple local brands that I always buy but as I mentioned, I'm worried about antibiotics so I am considering organic for the baby. My selections the other day included; 1) two types of mass produced, pasteurized, rBGH-free milk from unknown sources; 2.) one local dairy, rBGH-free and pasteurized; 3.) one local dairy rBGH-free, pasteurized, and non-homogenized; and 4.) Horizon organic and ultra pasteurized.
Normally I would have just grabbed the organic but I noticed "ultra pasteurized" in small print on the side. Ultra pasteurized (also "ultra-high temperature" or "UHT") means that in order to extend shelf-life, this milk has been preheated from 176-194° F and then is heated quickly up to 280° F with steam. The process kills the benign microorganisms in milk that regular pasteurization doesn't touch. It also prevents milk's natural enzymes from being easily digested in you gut which can lead to discomfort. This reaction can be mistaken for lactose intolerance.
I ended up choosing gallon #3 from Smith Creamery, the local, non-homogenized brand mostly because they sell at the farmers market and I've met one of the owners and member of the family that started the farm. They raise their own dairy cows which keeps them from bringing in new livestock and reduces the amount of disease (and antibiotics). The cows are grass fed during the day and led to the barn at night. I feel like this is the best option for my family and I'm supporting a local business as well.
I have my defaults when choosing milk. There are a couple local brands that I always buy but as I mentioned, I'm worried about antibiotics so I am considering organic for the baby. My selections the other day included; 1) two types of mass produced, pasteurized, rBGH-free milk from unknown sources; 2.) one local dairy, rBGH-free and pasteurized; 3.) one local dairy rBGH-free, pasteurized, and non-homogenized; and 4.) Horizon organic and ultra pasteurized.
Normally I would have just grabbed the organic but I noticed "ultra pasteurized" in small print on the side. Ultra pasteurized (also "ultra-high temperature" or "UHT") means that in order to extend shelf-life, this milk has been preheated from 176-194° F and then is heated quickly up to 280° F with steam. The process kills the benign microorganisms in milk that regular pasteurization doesn't touch. It also prevents milk's natural enzymes from being easily digested in you gut which can lead to discomfort. This reaction can be mistaken for lactose intolerance.
I ended up choosing gallon #3 from Smith Creamery, the local, non-homogenized brand mostly because they sell at the farmers market and I've met one of the owners and member of the family that started the farm. They raise their own dairy cows which keeps them from bringing in new livestock and reduces the amount of disease (and antibiotics). The cows are grass fed during the day and led to the barn at night. I feel like this is the best option for my family and I'm supporting a local business as well.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-22-2008 @ 11:33PM
Leon said...
I find the UHT pasteurized organic milk just tastes a lot better (probably because of the UHT, not the organice part) so I buy it. Also the long shelf life is nice because I don't use milk that often.
I've never really had any digestive problems with horizon either.
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9-22-2008 @ 11:36PM
kelly.leahy said...
Yours is the first comment that I've seen that UHT milk tastes better. Some people complain of a "burnt" flavor. I have never noticed a strange flavor to Horizon but I never liked Parmalat which is popular in Europe.
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9-23-2008 @ 11:00AM
ryan said...
I got the rest of my family started on Horizon organic. While their business practices are a bit questionable, their product does taste great. I don't even drink the stuff straight, and only use it with cereal. The rest of my family loves drinking it plain.
Now, what really interests me is raw milk. Since living in Japan, I have eaten things from raw fish to raw horse and even raw chicken. If the preparation is clean, and the meat is fresh, and the individual healthy, then there is little to no chance of getting food sickness. Along those lines, if I were able to track down a farmer with good milking practices, then I would love to try me some raw milk. Stop by a few times a week and have wholesome white goodness the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
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9-23-2008 @ 11:03AM
kelly.leahy said...
There's a pretty comprehensive website regarding raw milk and has listings of providers by state:
http://www.realmilk.com/where2.html
Thanks for you comment.
10-28-2008 @ 2:15PM
jh said...
Raw, local milk is far and away my favorite. It is better for you and tastes great. I stay away from homogenized milk at all costs. Homogenization is very very scary...
jh
http://www.bodaweightloss.com
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11-29-2008 @ 9:55PM
Linda Sherman said...
There is an interesting discussion on what kind of milk is healthy to drink going on http://EmpowHer.com (women's health online). I am going to contribute the URL to your discussion. Kelly, thank you for the valuable input from you and your readers.
Linda
http://itsdifferent4girls.com/blog
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