Tag: milk

Fee Writes

Milk Companies Are Just Getting Desperate

In the last post Messing with DNA, I talked about cows being messed about with in order to drop their temperature. Well, it appears that the poor cow is going to be subjected to more tampering.

This time it’s about the milk and I really don’t know quite where to start. There are so many dairy products out there, that I’m just glad I don’t have it because I wouldn’t know where to begin choosing which milk would be right for me.

However, I recently learned about a new product that’s been launched that has me shaking my head with scepticism…. which meant, I felt the need to blog.

Currently, there has been quite a dramatic drop in the consumer purchase of dairy which is effectively creating a downturn in the dairy industry. This appears to be happening worldwide.

So dairy companies are trying to come up with ways to increase market share and this latest thing just cracked me up!
“Sleep-boosting dark milk” coming from a New Zealand company. Something that’s not too new as scientists in Finland have been working on this and it’s also now available in Britain.

It appears that if you milk the cows after sunset and before sunrise, the milk produces a higher level of the hormone melatonin which is known to help regulate sleep.
Oh, the shed has to be dark as well.

This melatonin found in the milk after dark can be upwards of 10 times higher than that found in day time milk.

So let’s see. Our choice of different kinds of milk here in New Zealand are:

Fat-free
Added calcium
Added protein
Lactose-free
Help you to sleep
Organic
Full cream

That covers a vast array of consumers, doesn’t it?

My feeling is that milk is no longer “straight from the cow”. It is bastardised until it’s pretty much unrecognisable, all for the health of the consumers … well, that’s what they want you to think. What I think is that it’s all for the profit.

And, one last thing ….. what about the poor cows having to be milked in the dark? Spare a thought for them!

Fee Writes

Environment | Food | Random

Big Business At It Again?

New Zealand has the dubious honor of having the largest dairy exporting company in the world. Yup, little N.Z. can lay claim that dairy products are exported to more that 100 countries around the globe.

The company’s name is Fonterra and you can bet your bottom dollar that they will outstrip and outsmart any other company that makes dairy products.

The latest “innovative” move they have made is to introduce a “light-proof” plastic milk bottle Now I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that they genuinely thought they were right when they came up with the idea that milk deteriorates when it comes in contact with light and they should do something about it, but I’m more inclined to think that this is one helluva marketing ploy that will get the punters believing that, not only is milk good for you but it should be kept in the dark.

I spoke to a sales lady who was promoting the new bottles in the super market the other day, the conversation went something like this:

Lady:   Do you like the new bottle?
Me:      No, I don’t – I can’t see how much is left. (I thought that’s what most people would be annoyed at)
Lady:   If you can’t see the milk then that’s actually a good thing, as it means neither can the light!
Me:     (under my breath -duh) It still doesn’t solve the problem. So you’re saying that one just has to do the weight and shake test and judge when you’re going to run out?
The lady ignored my question.
Me:      With three layers….that seems like an awful lot of plastic.
Lady:   These bottles are 100% recyclable.
Me:      Maybe, but it just seem like more plastic.
Lady:   The plastic is thinner, so there’s not that much more at all. Did you know that with these bottles it means that the milk will be as good on day 15 as it is on day 1.
Me:     Mmmmmm, I think you’ll find that a bottle of milk will be used within about 3 or 4 days in the majority of families – or are you saying that I can leave the milk out on the bench longer?
Lady: Oh no, the milk still has to be refrigerated.
Me:     So there’s really no difference then.
Lady: Yes, this milk tastes better.
Me:     I can’t see why if the milk is still used up quickly….milk is milk.
Lady: But with these bottles it’s fresher.
Me:     I can’t see why – other companies get the milk bottled and into the stores daily, just like Fonterra does.

And so the conversation continued.

I finally got bored and left. I’d had my humour for the day, so off I went to get my soy milk. I don’t drink animal milk anyway!

When I was putting this blog together I came across an article that said the recycling companies are not happy with this bottle as it takes more energy and resources to recycle it. Wish I’d known that when I was talking to the lady!

There was also a comment made by ‘Whiti (N.Z.)’ who threw up another argument:

“My wife is a science teacher and just couldn’t resist testing the new bottle. Happy to report that the bottle does indeed appear to be light proof. Unfortunately the good old fashioned lid is not. Given that most light tends to shine down seems a bit of an oversight if it’s really all that important. Maybe just a lot of hype over nothing? Nice try Fonterra better luck next time.”

Good one, Whiti, couldn’t have said it better myself.

Thanks for dropping by, my name is Fee O’Shea. I’m a mother and grandma, an author and an Improver. I’ve got a resource website to help peeps go plant-based, I’ve scribbled six books centred around veganism, and have helped others write and publish their own stories.
But this blog is for my thoughts, my rants, raves, reviews and things that have grabbed my attention. From politics to social media to beauty, health and the environment. Fee’s Ramblings Over Coffee is written to bring you a smile or get you thinking. Enjoy.

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Milk Companies Are Just Getting Desperate

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