Consumption of milk in it original state and form has been known to man for ages and is the prevalent type of consumption in many – mostly underdeveloped countries.
Raw milk is still offered for direct human consumption in many countries where milk is produced commercially by dairies.
This milk is called as “milk direct from the farm,” “fresh milk” or “open milk”. There are two types:
- Raw milk is neither heated nor treated in a dairy, but its natural composition (e.g., fat content) can be modified. It can be sold by labeling it “raw milk, to boil before consumption” due to the hygienic risks involved.
- Certified milk is commercialized in a nonmodified form in its natural composition, raw, in a sellable prepacked form. Its production is controlled by the authorities, and strict criteria must be met for the health of the cows, characteristics of the milk, personnel;, treatment, packaging and distribution.
Further, milk is offered form ecological managed farms, which must meet special criteria with regard to total plates and cell count but have to comply at least with the requirements for “raw milk”.
Fresh milk, also labeled “milk” is a processed milk. A proper heat treatment before the milk is commercialized is absolutely necessary due to the hygienic characteristics of the raw milk, which contains a multitude of germs including pathogens, resulting in health risk to the consumer and rapid spoilage of the milk.
- Heated treated milk is made from raw milk, treated in a dairy, and must be pasteurized, processed with UHT or sterilized according to officially heat treatment process.
Industrial Milk
