“Stocks of paper packaging for milk are running out”: debunking popular rumors

It is difficult to find a product that can compete with milk in terms of the number of myths constantly born around it. Until now, disputes have not subsided, to drink or not to drink milk for adults. And today, on the topic of the day, new myths were born related to the quality of milk in glass bottles, to which our producers will be forced to switch due to the shortage of tetrapack.

“MK” collected the most popular misconceptions related to dairy products and tried to establish the truth.

Myth 1. Packaging is not made in Russia, so stocks will soon run out and you will have to switch to cans

After the introduction of new sanctions, milk producers had some difficulties with packaging, but the enterprises assure that they do not plan to switch to cans and sell milk in bottling. Russian packaging plants have already found a solution to the problems with cardboard for containers and have practically solved the issue with packaging for dairy products.

The factories have specialized lines for packaging, their system does not provide for the delivery of milk to retail chains and stores for bottling in cans. In addition, the requirements for hygiene, quality and safety of milk today are extremely high, and Rospotrebnadzor ensures that the bacterial contamination of products is at a minimum level – this cannot be achieved in a can, because milk is in contact with air, water, light and other media.

Myth 2. Good old glass bottles are a great packaging replacement option.

Glass bottles are fragile containers, due to the penetration of light, because of a leaky lid and contact with air, they do not allow for long periods of storage. Yes, and imagine how difficult it would be to work with glass for large retail chains!

Milk in aseptic packaging is much safer: the secret of long-term storage is that purified milk is instantly heated to a temperature of 134–137 ° C, kept at this temperature for 2–4 seconds, and then quickly cooled to room temperature. The whole process takes place in a closed system – without contact with air or human hands. Such processing is sufficient to destroy pathogenic microorganisms, but the most useful in milk remains – well-digestible amino acids (proteins), fats and trace elements, and most importantly – calcium.

Myth 3. Due to sanctions, starters are no longer brought to Russia, and soon all fermented milk products will disappear from the shelves

Indeed, Russia used to buy starter cultures in large quantities abroad. But they were not banned for import, they come to the country, as before, until we managed to establish our own production in the required volume. All companies continue to fulfill their obligations. So there is no reason to be afraid of a sudden shortage of fermented milk products.

Even if there are difficulties with their importation, starter cultures can be brought from friendly countries, and enterprises have already stocked them just in case. There will be no problems with kefir at all – the starters for this traditional Russian product are made 100% in Russia.

Myth 4. I constantly see gray packs of milk on the shelf: milk of well-known brands has begun to be faked.

In fact, you should not be afraid of this color of cardboard for packaging. The thing is that after the introduction of new packages of sanctions, the supply of food packaging paint, which is familiar to us, was stopped. If the situation with cardboard was resolved in a few months and production was launched at two factories within the country, then there are many subtleties with the paint: it must be as safe as possible and pass a large number of tests, but now a replacement has been found, so the previously released batches with a limited design will soon be replaced by regular packaging.

Myth 5. They started selling packages of milk, but there is not a liter, but 950 grams – this is illegal

This phenomenon is often referred to as “downsizing”. It is connected with the fact that the manufacturer, choosing between raising the price of his product and reducing the volume at the same price, often chooses the latter. Psychologically, many buyers are more comfortable staying true to their favorite brand. Of course, not all buyers like it, so you need to be vigilant and pay attention to the volume if it is more important to you than the brand.

Myth 6. Milk is bitter. Is it chemistry?

Do not be alarmed if UHT milk, after opening and storing for a long time in the refrigerator, begins to taste bitter, and not sour. UHT is a new processing method and its principle is shock heating milk for a few seconds and shock cooling. With such processing, the microflora dies, and lactic acid bacteria, which would lead to souring of milk, are no longer there.

Milk acquires a bitter taste when the milk protein decomposes under the influence of undesirable microflora that got into the milk after opening the package. Moreover, the consistency of milk may remain unchanged. This does not mean at all that dry milk or some additives were added to the milk. Yes, this was not the case 40–50 years ago, but there was no such method of processing milk either, so you need to get used to the innovations of modern Russian industry.

Myth 7. They write that they want to remove expiration dates from the packaging – now we will poison ourselves

It is hardly worth expecting that you will come to the store, and there is cottage cheese, which is not clear where it was produced and until what date it should be eaten. Today, the rejection of expiration dates and composition on the label is not discussed. While there was a shortage of ink in the country, there were discussions about reducing mandatory labeling requirements so that as little text as possible could be printed.

The business has proposed to temporarily exclude some data, for example, an indication of the place of application of the date of manufacture and expiration date, for example, “See. expiration date on the lid. It was also proposed to remove the indication of the number of the technical document according to which the product was produced, but no decisions were made, this is just a discussion.

Myth 8. Store-bought yogurt does not contain nutrients.

Yoghurts in Russia are produced according to a separate law – the Technical Regulations for Milk. This product is made from milk using a mixture of starter microorganisms – thermophilic lactic streptococci and Bulgarian lactic acid bacillus. The starter for home-made yogurt has the same composition, but unlike a home-made product, the industrial one has a strict standard for composition and properties. The number of these beneficial bacteria at the end of the product’s shelf life should be at least 107 CFU per 1 g.

In addition, although yogurt can be white or with additives, drinkable or thick, it always has a lot of protein: at least 2.8% for yogurts with fillers and 3.2% protein for white yogurts. But the use of non-dairy fats and proteins, as well as preservatives in the production of yoghurts is strictly prohibited.

Myth 9. Dairy products make you fat.

In fact, they do not get fat from dairy products, but from fast carbohydrates. And if you give up all fat, then the body will replace it with something else, such as carbohydrates and sugars. Carbohydrates are digested quickly, and the feeling of hunger comes much earlier. As a result, you will simply increase the number of snacks and chew constantly.

Your diet should be balanced and include dairy products with an optimal fat content, for example up to 3.2%, and you will stay full longer.

In addition, milk fats consist of fatty acids that are very important for the body: lauric, conjugated linoleic, oleic, etc. So a reasonable consumption of dairy products will not harm the figure.