Hi all,
I was not sure that Woolworth’s generic milk, 2L, is tasty as good as before. One day, I tried it and tasted like milk water. Does anything happen to the line or am I only experience it like that?
Cheers!
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Welcome @blueo, as a natural product milk is probably going to be variable from time to time based on the dairy herds and their feedstocks.
While not an expert, after the bush fires and floods across the country I would not be surprised if there is a period where much of our food is affected for a while.
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The level of solids in milk is carefully controlled during its processing. As it comes out of the cow milk is much richer than we usually drink it and it will naturally vary with the breed of cows, the quality of feed they are on etc. By the time it gets to you it has been adjusted to make a standard product. Food Standards Australia specifies the minimum milk fat and protein content. This leaves scope for the lactose to vary.
I would be surprised if there was very much variation in the content of milk as the manufacturers strive for a consistent product and the solids will be between the lower bound of regulation and the upper bound of economy. The solid content of milk is where its value lies so they are not going to give you more than they are required to according to the label of full milk, skim, etc.
I think it would be hard to judge the content of milk accurately just by taste.
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Milk processors aim for a standardised fat level in milk and process it accordingly. The nutrition panel on the carton / container will list the levels. Cows’ milk is processed to take some cream for (well) cream, and cheese manufacture, and the rest becomes fresh milk of varying fat levels (full, low, no fat) and other manufacturing purposes. Permeate is the term given to elements of milk taken out and put back in to achieve a standard product. Remember the big “Permeate Free” campaign by one milk brand?
The temperature of milk affects its mouth feel and taste, which may be what you are experiencing, unless there has been a reduction in fat (see nutrition panel). Being a generic I doubt they would provide more cream than necessary.
Choice did an article on milk in 2017 https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/dairy/milk/buying-guides/milk
This is an extract from the Permeate section:
The Food Standards Code allows manufacturers to add or withdraw “milk components” to or from milk as long as the total fat level remains at least 3.2% (for full-cream milk) and the protein at least 3% (for any milk).
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True. Warm milk will taste sweeter than cold.
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