Organic milk

[koster]

Can you taste the difference between organic and non-organic milk?

What does organic actually mean when it comes to milk? Does it just mean that the farmer doesn't use any chemicals on the grass that the cows eat?

[Buenchico]

From the Dairy Council website:
"Organic milk comes from cows that have been grazed on pasture that has no chemical fertilisers, pesticides or agrochemicals used on it.

The producers must register with an approved organic body and are subject to regular inspection.

Once the cows have been milked, the milk is treated in exactly the same way as regular pasteurised milk.

The nutritional content of organic milk is exactly the same as non-organic milk."
http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=43

There's actually some evidence which contradicts that last paragraph:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4153951.stm
but it seems unlikely that there are any specific health benefits from drinking organic milk. Similarly, the 'organic' label doesn't necessarily imply any higher standards of animal welfare.

Chris

[koster]

Hmm - I wonder whether farmers actually put any chemicals on grass fields where cows graze.

I mean, are there any pests which eat grass? If not, they probably don't put pesticides on grass.

Is the higher price for organic milk all a bit of a con?

[Dassie]

Yes but that pasture of today might have had pesticides etc when used in a previous year for crops.

[WoWo]

To be organic the fields used must have been clear of any chemicals for 3 years IIRC.

I personally drink Organic not because of any health benefits but because on the whole the animals do have a better life, despite Buenchico's suggestions that there is nothing to suggest higher standards of welfare the Cows are not constantly pumped full of hormones to stimulate milk production.

I'm not in disagreement with you Buenchico, I think people have a perception of Organic as being some great health benefit when it fact in most cases it's just a marketing ploy.

[koster]

Thanks for that information.

What does IIRC mean?

Is not using hormones a requirement for organic milk, or is it just that farmers who choose organic also choose not to use hormones?

[WoWo]

For it to be Organic they cannot put anything into the cow that is not natural, that would include hormones (yes hormones are natural but its not natural for them to be injected into a cow).

IIRC means If I Remember Correctly. I think it is 3 years but I also have 7 years in my head but I think that is way too long, in reality while organic food won't have been treated with chemicals there may be residue in the soil.

[lovejoy]

If it is not organic and is just a rip off to charge you 50% more, how would you know because they tell you with a straight face it's the truth?

[Alliegid]

My mum buys organic, and my 3 children - 13, 14 & 16 reckon that they don't like the taste. I thought that they were just making a fuss, so we set up a blind tasting session and they all guessed which was traditional milk and which was the organic with no problem at all!