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The last protests by dairy farmers against low milk purchase prices were in 2018. Since then, its price has been acceptable to producers, but too high for milk processors, and this tempts them to think of ways to save some of these costs. PHOTO: YORDAN SIMEONOV
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Only 3 products out of 17 have no added milk powder
A recent test by the Active Consumers Association with the help of a laboratory showed the presence of powdered milk in fairly large quantities in most fresh milks on the Bulgarian market. This was announced for “24 Chasa” by the chairman of the association Bogomil Nikolov.
The test was done in November last year. with 17 brands of fresh milk sold in stores that are given to the laboratory. From the results it turned out that only in 3 samples no milk powder was added, but in the other 14 it is in quite 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 is even over 85%, ie. they probably do not contain any fresh milk, but actually sell powdered milk mixed with water.
However, Nikolov refrained from saying the names of the companies, as there is no certified method in Bulgaria to detect the milk powder content in fresh milk. The same was confirmed yesterday before “24 hours” by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA). (See below.) The use of powdered milk in fresh milk is prohibited, it 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 furosin. However, it is an indicator of heat treatment of the milk, and the milk is still pasteurized, where it is heated slightly, or processed by the UHT method, which means heating to a higher temperature. However, the probability of milk powder being added increases in direct proportion to the amount of furosin, as its content in milk powder itself is very high. This is because milk powder is obtained by industrial drying of fresh milk at a very high temperature. However, the laboratory method is not accurate because the technologies are different and it is not known exactly what milk powder the respective producer bought.
“Although the method is not certified, the presence of furosin, and in large quantities, suggests that milk is also used dry. We have also talked to manufacturers and this is widely known in the industry, “said Nikolov.
The association has sent a letter to the agriculture ministry urging a meeting of the National Food Council to discuss ways and means to monitor more closely whether dairy farmers use milk powder in milk.
“I believe that measures should be taken before the harmful practice has become widespread, because then it is too late. If all producers start using milk powder en masse, it is too late, because the industry is starting to complain that they are being forced to produce a more expensive product and lobbying pressure. In the end, consumers get poorer quality. Powdered milk is not poisonous, but the more of it is contained in one product, the less useful substances there are in this product “, said Nikolov.
The BFSA stressed that not only in Bulgaria, but nowhere in the EU there is no reference laboratory method for determining the presence of milk powder in dairy products. They control milk producers, as required by the Ordinance on the specific requirements for dairy products – by monitoring how much raw milk, milk powder, milk protein and other raw materials enter the dairy and what comes out of it. This is described in special diaries, which each milk producer is obliged to fill in and are required for inspection.
The same ordinance defines the specific requirements for other types of dairy products, other than fresh milk. There is no ban on the use of milk powder, milk concentrate and milk protein in the production of dairy products. As a raw material for their production it is permissible to use up to 20% added reconstituted milk powder.
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 permissible, said the BFSA.
“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 chairman of the Association of Dairy Producers Dimitar Zorov. He said he had also heard hints of using powdered milk in fresh milk, but in the end the taste would betray its presence. However, the lack of a laboratory method for detecting the exact milk powder content 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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