Loose milk sale to be banned in Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has decided to ban sale of loose milk in Lahore and then implement the decision gradually across the province, sources told ARY News on Tuesday.

According to sources, the PFA has decided to impose a ban on the sale of loose milk citing a number of reasons including presence of aflatoxin (a cancer-causing chemical) and lack of  pasteurization (heating to a specified temperature and time to kill pathogens that may be found in the raw milk) recommended for sale of milk.

The authority is in talks with the various dairy farmers associations for packaging of milk and sources say that the decision will be implemented first in the province’s capital (Lahore) and then gradually across the whole of Punjab.

It is pertinent to note here that in most developed countries, loose milk (sold in clean glass bottles) is also pasteurized according to given standards.

Milk and milk products provide a wealth of nutrition benefits. But raw milk, i.e., unpasteurized milk, can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to you and your family.

Raw milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. Raw milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, and others that cause foodborne illness, often called “food poisoning.”

On the other hand, UHT-treated milk is raw milk that has been heated to a specified temperature and time to kill pathogens that may be found in the raw milk.

While most healthy people will recover from an illness caused by harmful bacteria in raw milk – or in foods made with raw milk – within a short time, some can develop symptoms that are chronic, severe, or even life-threatening. If you or someone you know becomes ill after consuming raw milk or products made from raw milk.

According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , in a period ranging from 1993 to 2012, there were 127 outbreaks linked to raw milk or raw milk products like ice cream, soft cheese, or yogurt. They resulted in 1,909 illnesses and 144 hospitalizations.

What is UHT treatment and how it makes milk safe

Ultra-High Temperature Processing is also termed as Ultra-High Treatment or Sterilization of Liquid foods. This process involves heating the liquid at a higher temperature to obtain bacteria and enzyme-free product that is scientifically harmless for consumption. Same way, the motive behind treating milk through higher temperatures is to make it healthier for everyone.

The milk is processed at above 135 °C (275 °F) to eradicate all the unhealthy microorganisms. The average time of milk to undergo the UHT process is about 2 to 5 seconds.

Sterilization makes milk lighter as once you have treated milk at ambient temperature, the number of microorganisms turn almost zero. The time you take to process it further is also reduced as the impurities and non-friendly organisms are already eliminated. This is why you can brew yourself a cup of coffee of tea within a couple of minutes.

With UHT treatment, the heat-resistant bacteria present in milk gets destroyed which also ensures its safety for you and your kids. Processed milk is also readily available for consumption that is the right choice for consumers concerned with time and energy.