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The last protests by milk producers against the low purchase prices of milk were in 2018. Since then, its price has been acceptable for producers, but too high for milk processors, and this tempts them to think in ways save some of these costs. PHOTO: YORDAN SIMEONOV
Only 3 products out of 17 have no added powdered milk
A recent test carried out by the Active Consumers Association with the help of a laboratory showed the presence of milk powder in fairly large quantities in most fresh milks on the Bulgarian market. This was announced for “24 Chasa” by the president of the association Bogomil Nikolov.
The test was conducted in November of last year. with 17 brands of fresh milk sold in stores that are delivered to the laboratory. From the results it turned out that only 3 samples did not add powdered milk, but in the other 14 it is in fairly large quantities. In 4 of them it is below 49%, but in another 7 it is between 50 and 85%, and in three samples it even exceeds 85%, that is to say. They probably do not contain fresh milk, but powdered milk mixed with water is practically sold.
However, Nikolov refrained from giving the names of the companies, as there is no certified method in Bulgaria to detect the content of powdered milk in fresh milk. The same was confirmed yesterday at “24 hours” by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA). (Look down.) The use of powdered milk in fresh milk is prohibited, can be used, and only up to 20% only in other dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, etc., but not in fresh milk.
The method used by the laboratory was to detect the content of the substance furosine. However, it is an indicator of the heat treatment of the milk, and the milk is still pasteurized, where it is slightly heated, or processed by the UHT method, which means heating to a higher temperature. However, the probability that powdered milk will be added increases in direct proportion to the amount of furosine, since its content in the powdered milk itself is very high. This is because powdered milk is obtained by industrial drying of fresh milk at a very high temperature. However, the laboratory method is not exact because the technologies are different and it is not known exactly which milk powder the respective producer bought.
“Although the method is not certified, the presence of furosine, and in large quantities, suggests that the milk is also used dry. We have also spoken with manufacturers and this is widely known in the industry, “said Nikolov.
The association sent a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture urging a meeting of the National Food Council to discuss ways and means to more closely monitor whether milk producers use powdered milk in fresh milk.
“I believe that action must be taken before the harmful practice becomes widespread, because then it is too late. If all producers start using powdered milk in bulk, it is already too late, because the industry begins to complain that they are being forced to produce a more expensive product and put pressure. In the end, consumers get worse quality. Powdered milk is not poisonous, but the more a product contains, the less useful substances there are in this product, “said Nikolov.
The BFSA emphasized that not only in Bulgaria, but nowhere in the EU, there is no reference laboratory method to determine the presence of powdered milk in dairy products. They control milk producers, as required by the Ordinance on Specific Requirements for Dairy Products, controlling how much raw milk, powdered milk, milk protein and other raw materials enter the dairy and what comes out of it. This is described in special journals, which each milk producer is obliged to complete and are required for inspection.
The same ordinance defines specific requirements for other types of dairy products, other than fresh milk. The use of powdered milk, milk concentrate and milk protein in the production of dairy products is not prohibited. As raw material for its production it is allowed to use up to 20% of added reconstituted powdered milk.
This does not apply to dairy products produced under BDS (yogurt, cheese, yellow cheese), in the production of which the use of only raw milk is allowed, the BFSA said.
“Every manufacturer is responsible, we are not a control body. However, we have a code of ethics and morals that does not allow such practices,” said the president of the Association of Milk Producers, Dimitar Zorov. He said he had also heard signs to use powdered milk in fresh milk, but in the end the taste would give away its presence, but the lack of a laboratory method to detect the exact content of powdered milk is an obstacle to tightening controls, he said.
Last year 675 thousand tons of raw cow’s milk were collected in Bulgaria, of which 76 thousand tons were sold as fresh milk. The rest went to dairy production.
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