What is in our milk????

Have you ever wondered what is in our milk? Apparently, different additives are added depending on the source. Milk was something I hardly cared about until I had my children. Once I weaned my older son off formula and switched him to regular cow's milk, I started to wonder if it was really safe for him.

A friend of mine once mentioned that her milk (out of a packet from a common well-known source) did not spoil for over 2 days. Yes, she did store it in a fridge but this will not be the case for natural cow's milk bought directly from a farm or any other source.The process of sterilisation and pasteurisation destroys all living cells from the milk including the good bacteria that is meant to be beneficial. There is nothing left in the milk to make it go bad. It becomes a liquid that contains certain minerals that are beneficial to humans.

Also from all the rumours I have heard so far, other additives are added to packaged milk to make it more attractive to market and sell. One of the rumours says additives are added to make the milk look very white. Another one says additives are added to make the curds set faster and thicker. Most packaged milk products do not advertise as they are additive-free. I would seriously like to see someone come up with a product that says its additive-free. As long as questions are not asked, the milk companies don't feel the need to reveal the procedures they follow.

So what is the best source of milk? I personally feel that its best to buy from a source with whom you can establish a connection and clear all your doubts. If there is a milkman in your neighbourhood who has his own cows, he would be your best bet. He may be diluting the milk with water but he may not have the resources to add other harmful additives to the milk.

If you have access to a source who feeds the cows with organic feed and advocates less vaccines and hormones, then that is the best possible milk available. An organic milk source is one I wish I had and I would be the first one to support an endeavour like that in my neighbourhood.