Skim Milk & Toxic Chemicals??? [Moved from Food Media and News]
OK hounds. Just had friends over for soup and football and the wife was telling me that a friend of hers told her that skim milk is horrible for us b/c "they" use chemicals in the skimming process. And that "we" should all be drinking organic whole milk (apparently they didn't get into the whole raw debate). I have NEVER heard of such a thing, nor do I tend to believe it. A little poking around on the 'net didn't turn up much. Anyone know the origin of this? My impression has always been that dairy processors use a centrifuge for separation. (FYI, I know about the pasteurization/homogenization debate, etc.).
-
I know there are differences between the US and Canadian dairy industries, but I feel quite confident the way milk is skimmed is the same. I have a neghbour who maintains equipment at a local dairy. I asked him, and he told me there are NO chemicals used. It's just machines and the natural characteristics of milk.
-
chowser
Jan 2, 2012 05:29 AM
From what I've read (have never talked to an industry insider), all the fat is removed from milk and then put back in so they can get the right percentages 1%, 2%, etc. That occurs whether the milk is organic or not but I'm pretty sure they're not adding toxic chemicals to our milk supply. As said above, the skimming is centrifugal.
-
Chemicalkinetics
Jan 2, 2012 05:24 AM
I believe milk fat is separated by using centripetal force. I have not heard of "adding chemicals". Moreover, for many Americans, the excessive fat in diet is more harmful.
-
-
Fat separation doesn't require chemicals. Usually the complaint is that the removal of fat throws off the hormone balance of milk making skim more "bad hormone rich," especially for conventional milk which has a lot of added hormone residue anyway. Some patients with compromised health are instructed to avoid skim dairy products for these reasons.
Conventional diary processors often add additional undisclosed ingredients to skim to boost mouth feel so that might be the source of the "chemicals."
›1 Reply-
re: JudiAU
cowboyardee
Jan 1, 2012 10:19 PM
"Conventional diary processors often add additional undisclosed ingredients to skim to boost mouth feel so that might be the source of the "chemicals.""
________
I'm not a milk industry insider, but I believe adding texturizing agents without listing them as ingredients would be illegal in the US. I know, for example, that heavy cream often comes with carageenan (I believe, to keep it fully emulsified), but that is clearly listed on the label and it doesn't seem to hurt sales. As such, I doubt that skim milk contains undisclosed ingredients.
If you have any corroborating evidence you could link me to, I'd like to see it.
-
