This week You! highlights the benefits of Ultra High Temperature-treated milk..
This week You! highlights the benefits of Ultra High Temperature-treated milk...
You start drinking milk the day you are born. As kids, most people have heard phrases along the lines of “drink your milk so you’ll grow big and strong.” While many people simply rolled their eyes and finished their milk so they could get to the good part (dessert!), the truth is that milk provides valuable nutrients that kids need during their development. Milk provides a unique balance of nutrients and no wonder it is considered as ‘nature’s wellness drink’.
Milk is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium. It has long been recognised for its important role in bone health. According to the National Dairy Council, it contains nine essential nutrients: calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin and vitamins A, D and B12. Nutritionists recommend that milk and other dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese should be consumed daily as part of a balanced diet. There are many types of milks on the market, including full cream; skim milk; flavoured milk and UHT (ultra-high temperature-treated) milk. This week we take a look at the benefits of UHT milk.
What is actually UHT treated milk?
Ultra High Temperature-treated milk simply means that the milk has been heated to a very high temperature for a brief period; however, ensuring the milk’s taste and nutrition remains intact. UHT Milk has to pass through heating and cooling stages in quick successions. It is then immediately filled into a sterile carton which is shelf safe. UHT milk was introduced by the Italian dairy company Parmalat in 1990s, which sold UHT milk in aseptic containers as a convenience food to Europeans, most of whom lived in apartments and had small refrigerators.
Benefits of UHT milk:
Boiling doesn’t destroy all germs from in the raw milk, but destroys most nutrients in it. Raw milk can contain dangerous germs for our health. Nobody can guarantee an appropriate hygiene in the production and distribution of raw milk in markets or in the environment. UHT milk does not require boiling, hence avoids killing healthy bacteria
Packaged milk underwent thermal procedures which make it safe for consumption and best preserve its vitamins. There is no loss of nutritional properties during its long validity period
With UHT, the shelf life of milk in sterile cartons increases and the milk can last up to 4 to 6 months when the carton remains sealed. However, once opened, the milk carton needs to be refrigerated and consumed within 5 days from opening the seal.
UHT treated milk in safe packaging can be bought in large quantities and stored at room temperature.
The health campaign:
In a bid to create awareness among masses about the benefits of UHT milk, Engro Foods has recently unveiled a campaign on the importance of milk consumption as part of a healthy and balanced diet whilst simultaneously highlighting critical issues associated with commonly available loose milk.
Speaking at the occasion the company’s food director Ahsan Afzaal Ahmad said: “Milk as a source of nutrition has remained an integral part of the Pakistani food culture. However, even though we are one of the largest producers of milk in the world, incidence of malnutrition specially stunting and wasting remain abundant in our population - especially children and women. Through this campaign we aim to highlight the importance of drinking nutritious milk which is free from adulterants and contaminants, and the beneficial impact that UHT milk can have on the individual’s health.”
Industry experts on the panel included Fayza Khan - a nutritionist and Chairman Pakistan Nutritionists and Dietetics Society (PNDS), and Dr. Seema Tariq - medical expert on women and child health issues. The experts highlighted that UNICEF’s nutrition assessments - which are available publicly - revealed alarming rates of malnutrition in Pakistan. According to one such report published by UNICEF’s malnutrition contributes to 35% of under-five deaths which is an easily reversible trend. Addressing the media present at the event these professionals explained the benefits of packaged milk, which through its UHT or Ultra High Temperature process retains nutrition better than open pan boiled milk. This in turn delivers better nutrition for the entire family, especially young children.
