Raise a glass, milk the health benefits

Many parents bemoan that their child does not take milk gladly; it is only after much cajoling or addition of chocolate, flavours, etc that the child obliges.

A possible reason we ignore in a few cases is lactose intolerance. Then, there are nutrition experts like Amy Lanou, David Ludwig, Walter Willet et al, discouraging routine intake of milk on the grounds that studies show no evidence of stronger bones or improved health due to consumption of dairy.

There has been an unconscionable trend in the West of summarily discarding the time-tested advantages of Indian herbs and edibles because they did not qualify in their lab tests, and later endorsing the same, and even endeavouring to patents these. Similarly, the anti-milk campaigners plead that milk paves way for allergies, flatulence, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome etc. Mind that such side effects occur usually with milk from crossbred animals.

Milk is relished worldwide and its consumption, particularly in natural form, and production need to be encouraged. Over the years, population growth and greater affordability have pushed the demand for milk and its derivatives.

Natural milk is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, iron, potassium, foliate, vitamins A, D and B, protein, riboflavin, amino acids and fats, all essential for our body. To a child, cow milk is an ideal food next to breastmilk. Calcium present in the milk produces a hormone called serotonin, which helps absorption of vitamin D, keeps us in positive frame of mind and regulates appetite and sleep.

A major barrier to milk production is the dwindling pasture spaces and concomitant insufficient fodder due to urbanisation. A State of India’s Livelihood (SOIL) report estimated that for the 2021 target of 210 million tonne milk production to be met, we must evolve strategies to enhance fodder production to 1,764 million tonne from the 900 million tonne at present.

In Punjab, where about 40% of milk supply is reportedly spurious, about 256 cases of milk adulteration are under trial over the last two-and-half-years in different courts. In the southern region, heatwave led to 30% reduced production in the preceding quarter. There are fears that unless uninterrupted fodder supply is maintained, the country of milky rivers may have to import milk.

Being a highly perishable item, extraneous milk production has to be stored in powder form, that has a shelf life of about a year, without significant loss of nutrition. It has wide uses in manufacture of ice creams, sweet curd, flavoured milk, milkshakes, buttermilk, lassi, ghee, shrikhand, cream and baby foods.

Early this year, with skimmed milk powder (SMP) production peaking two lakh tonne, the Indian Dairy Association was in fix. It was not well equipped with technology to convert into SMP the additional supply of milk from the cooperative sector.

The ongoing negotiations with Russia for supply of milk products may resolve the issue of production over domestic demand. Cooperatives like Saras in Rajasthan, Verka in Punjab, Nandini in Karnataka and Parag in UP are big contributors to milk availability.

Staple diet

To create awareness towards the importance of natural milk as a staple global food, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) celebrates World Milk Day (WMD) on June 1, in association with stakeholders — International Dairy Federation, national dairy producers and related industries, unions and consumers — for good health and nutrition.

Through its theme, “Raising a Glass”, WMD seeks milk to be adopted as an integral part of our daily food. The highlight of this year’s observance was a running cow mascot in programmes and a pre-school classroom presentation on “Where Does Milk Come From” in Pennsylvania, US. Last year, WMD witnessed 588 events in 80 countries.

With a production of around 170 million tonne of milk, India continues to be the largest milk producer with about 18% share to world output. Per capita daily availability has improved substantially from 178 gm in 1991-92 to 360 gm now. However, to touch the 2026 target, the annual growth rate of milk production needs to be raised to 5.5%.

Unfortunately, unscrupulous practices like injecting hormones are being adopted by certain milk producers which needs to dealt with strictly. In contrast, innovations like the one in Thrissur (Kerala) deserve a pat on the back. The biotechnology students of the MET’s School here showed that addition of leaves of the aqueous plant Azolla (gestation period of just 10 days) to fodder raised the milk output by 20%.