Why does organic milk last so much longer than regular milk? I notice that refrigerated organic milk will last up to two months on the expiration date. Is it true that there is a preservative used to make organic milk last much longer than regular milk?
Sharmaine
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Hi Sharmaine,
Organic milk means it’s come from cows who are farmed organically. The cows are never given hormones like BsT to unnaturally boost the amount of milk they produce. They are only ever given pharmaceuticals if they get sick, unlike most dairy cows who are given antibiotics every single day just to prevent any disease and make the farmer’s life easier, whatever the cost to the animal or to the people who drink her milk.
Organic milk is sometimes sold fresh, raw and straight from the cow, but this is extremely rare. Fresh, raw, untreated milk lasts only a very short time in the fridge, perhaps three days max.
Organic milk never ever has any additives in it – that’s totally illegal. Organic milk cannot contain preservatives or artificial chemicals of any kind.
If you buy organic milk from a supermarket, it’s been treated in many ways. It’s for sure been pasteurized, and more than likely it’s also been homogenized and skimmed.
Pasteurization is when the milk is heated up and cooled down to kill any bacteria in it, whether they are good bacteria or bad bacteria. Homogenization is when the milk is squeezed through very fine tubes to break down the fat content so any cream mixes perfectly with the milk.
It’s these treatments that prolong the shelf life of milk. Non-organic milk is also treated with these same processes, but perhaps the organic milk and the non-organic milk you compared in your home had different levels of treatment.
I hope this sets you mind at rest.
best,
Ysanne
Posted by Ysanne on 23rd December 2008 at 9:59 pm | Permalink