Tiffany says: Please explain the ultra-pasteurized thing because I’m really ignorant about why that’s a bad thing. I’m asking because we buy the organic milk, but I think it’s ultra-pasteurized, so maybe I should be buying something different?
Me: Good question! I talked about this long ago when I first discovered the information, but I fear that I all too often just refer to it without explaining it.
Pasteurization, as you probably know, slows microbial growth in food and makes milk last longer. Pasteurization was created at a time in history (early 1900s) when family farms were becoming less common and industrial methods were being implemented to bring milk to more people at further distances. Milk from various farms was being combined and shipped great distances, and at that time, cleanliness and hygiene were not well observed, so the milk easily became contaminated.
There were several different reactions at the time. Some went to great lengths to make raw milk safe and clean, and it was actually quite successful. At the same time, others turned to the pasteurization process in an attempt to reduce harmful bacterias that may be present in raw milk.
For a while, both methods co-existed peacefully, but eventually legislation was put in place requiring milk sold in retail establishments to be pasteurized — one of the biggest travesties of the 20th century, in my humble opinion.
Today raw milk is legal in some states, but not all. Here in Pennsylvania, it can be purchased directly from farms or from some small health food stores. But back to pasteurization…
With conventional (storebought) milk, there are basically two methods of pasteurization: HTST and UHT.
HTST stands for High Temperature, Short Time. On the label, it will usually say Pasteurized. This process brings milk to no more than 165° F and holds it there for only 15-20 seconds. Shelf life of HTST milk is 2-3 weeks.
UHT stands for Ultra-High Temperature. It is also called Ultra-Pasteurized. This process heats milk to 280° F for a minimum of one second. The purpose is to make it last longer — it has shelf life of 2-3 MONTHS — but by doing so it basically kills off most of the nutritional value that existed in the fresh milk and makes it even harder to digest.
The reason many organic brands choose to use the Ultra Pasteurized method is because it lasts longer on the shelf. In fact, UHT milk isn’t even required to be refrigerated!!! (Did you ever notice that those little organic chocolate milk boxes aren’t refrigerated??)
I stay far, far away from ultra-pasteurized dairy products. I won’t even buy half-and-half for my coffee if it’s ultra-pasteurized. Ick.
There is one other kind of pasteurization, usually employed only by small farms that sell their milk locally.
Low-heat Pasteurization heats the milk to 145° and holds it there for 30 minutes, then it is quickly cooled to prepare for bottling. If you have access to this type of milk, it is far superior to the other methods of pasteurization.
I would be remiss if I did not tell you that I firmly believe that no amount of pasteurization is safe for preserving the optimal nutritional benefits and digestibility of whole milk. Personally, I can only drink raw (unpasteurized) milk. If I drink any form of pasteurized milk, I get horrible stomach aches that last hours. But pasteurization seems to be a necessary evil in a world where milk has become an industrial commodity.
If you must buy your milk at the grocery store, go for the regular pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized.
And if you have access to a local farm that sells their own milk and uses the low heat pasteurization process, even better.
If you are comfortable drinking raw milk and have a clean source, you will be much better off. For more about why we drink raw milk, you can read The Raw Milk Question.
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Can you also refresh my memory as to why skim milk is bad?
When they take the fat out of dairy, they have to use additives – including powdered milk – to preserve the original body and texture. Plus, your body needs the fat in whole milk to be able to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. I only drink whole milk!
OMG!!! I was just told at the super market the pasteurized milk is dead and that we shouldn’t buy it. My husband stopped buying it and started to buy ultra Pasteurized… urgh! thanks for the info.
This is good! Now…how can you tell if a gallon is ultra or just regular?
It is written on it.
You are SO smart!!!
Heh. Not really. I just read a lot.
We have been drinking raw milk since last fall. I’m not saying for sure that they are related, but we haven’t had raw milk in the house for the past three weeks and since then everyone in my house has a cold. None of us have been sick all winter other than right now. Also, raw milk tastes so much better if you can get it.
(My hubby forgot to place the last order, and we’re just waiting for the next drop off. That’s why we haven’t had any lately.)
We have been quite well this year. We still have had a few things, but most are mild and short-lived. I haven’t been sick in a year, and I used to catch EVERYTHING. *knocks on wood*
Ok, you’re brilliant! You just explained that in the perfect way that made sense & may have just answered one of my questions about my 18mo. I wasn’t paying attention to the pasteurization of the milk but was noticing that different types were making her sick … she couldn’t digest some at all. I was trying to look at lacto-free, almond, soy, etc. but he stomach kept contradicting itself. OR maybe the pasteurization did? Very interesting … I’m off to compare! Thanks Dr. Musings of a Housewife:)
Interesting… let know how it turns out.
How do you know what kind of pasteurization? I usually buy my milk at Publix, and it just says “pasteurized” on it; it does not say what type of method was used.
Then it is the HTST .
Fantastic clarification! Thankyou so much! I had always wondered!
Now to find me some raw milk!
Interesting. We’re currently buying whole, organic, ultra-pasteurized milk. We may have to investigate other options…
We’re raw milk here, too…for our “pets” of course!
When I first heard that UHT milk didn’t have to be refrigerated I felt sick. I felt like it was a scam to have all those big refrigerators at the grocery store–they are tricking us!! Then I realized I’d seen it before–all those little organic chocolate milk boxes aren’t refrigerated. Anywhoo.
The only organic whole milk in a gallon jug that is just pasteurized around here is from Publix. I’ve NEVER been able to find it anywhere else. Weird.
Good info, Jo-Lynne!
I’m still looking for a local dairy that’s close enough for me. Closest one is about 1.5 hrs
In the meantime, I buy the regular store milk and unsweetened almond milk for us. (I don’t drink cow’s milk because it makes me phlegmy, but I do get plenty of other dairy products!)
Thanks for this useful information!!
What about the acidophilus milk? I believe it falls under ultra-pasteurized, but I’m not sure.
Acidophilus milk is a fermented beverage, much like yogurt. “The culture process used to make acidophilus milk is much like that used to make yogurt, except that acidophilus milk is not allowed to thicken as much as yogurt does. ”
I’m assuming it can be made with any type of milk, just like yogurt.
http://www.sharecare.com/question/what-is-acidophilus-cultured-milk
Very helpful, Jo-Lynne! Thanks!
I dated a German girl 20 years ago. When we went to Germany to visit her parents for Christmas one year, I noticed that they kept their milk in the cupboard, and it had UHT written on the side. It tasted awful.
I just assumed it was because space is an issue for most Europeans, and most had very small refrigerators. They were just beginning to adopt our consumerist practice of buying large quantities of food all at once, in the early 90s. They usually bought everything fresh for that day, instead. Frozen foods were confined to a small cooler in the back of most grocery stores, so they didn’t have a need for large refrigerators, and consequently needed a specially treated milk that they could store at room temperature. I considered it a trade-off, like combat rations are a trade-off of palatability for portability. They sacrificed a little flavor and healthful-benefits for the ability to store their milk on a shelf in the cupboard.
So, flash-forward 20 years, and I just, today, noticed that almost all of the milk products in my grocery store’s coolers are now ultra-pasteurized. From the way I’ve come to understand UHT, it was kind of unsettling to realize this. I know it’s not a space issue, our refrigerators have not become smaller, we don’t need to store our milk in cupboards. So it seems as though this decision was made by the grocers or the distributors for economic reasons.
Luckily for me, the store brand had a choice between HTST and UHT half & half. I picked the HTST version. I’ve always felt that any processing on foods is bad. I certainly don’t want MORE processing done to my food, especially if the only real benefits seem to be for the people selling it.
How interesting! And yes, I totally agree.
” I certainly don’t want MORE processing done to my food, especially if the only real benefits seem to be for the people selling it.”
That sums it up quite nicely!
Hey there Jo Lynne!
First, I want to thank you for unashamedly admitting that you are a fellow Christ-follower!! There are too few “souled-out” believers in America today
Second, on to the subject at hand…milk. I want to thank you again for your knowledge on milk products. I wanted to know if you’ve ever looked up the differences between cow milk and goat milk, and their affects on the human body?
We’ve had goats for a few years now, and it wasn’t till about 2 months ago that I found out how good goat milk was for you, and how bad cow milk was….comparatively speaking. I was just wanting your input on the two.
Thanks again and God bless!
In His Grip,
Dave
Hi Dave, yes, as I understand it, goat milk is very easy to digest. I have never tried it, personally, but I am curious how my stomach would handle it. Right now I don’t drink milk at all because it upsets my stomach. For a while, I drank raw cow’s milk, which agreed with my tummy, but our family was sickened by it, which scared us away. Now my kids drink a low-temp pasteurized milk from a local dairy, and I just avoid milk altogether. There is goat milk at my farmer’s market. I should try it.