How does our goat milk go from milk to powder?
How does our goat milk go from milk to powder? We often get questions from our customers on whether our goat milk is raw, pasteurized or homogenized and if anything is added to our goat milk in the process.
Firstly, nothing is added to our goat milk; it is 100% goat milk with no preservatives.
Is our goat milk pasteurized?
Our goat milk is pasteurized in New Zealand as part of the drying process - this is a legal requirement to export. Additionally, in the USA, all milk sold across state lines must be pasteurized and meet the US Pasteurized Milk Ordinance standards. Our goat milk powder is pasteurizated at 75C (167F) for 15 seconds.
Why is milk pasteurized?
This process aims to destroy any bacteria that may be present during milking and that can cause diseases such as salmonellosis. Pasteurization is also essential to increase its shelf life.
How does pasteurized affect goat milk?
Except for decreasing riboflavin (vitamin B2), pasteurization does not significantly reduce the nutritional value of milk. 1
Is our goat milk homogenized?
No, goat's milk is naturally more homogenous than cow's milk as it has a higher percentage of smaller fat globules, so it does not need to be homogenized.
Is our goat milk raw?
No, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bans the interstate sale or distribution of raw milk.
Why not raw?
The presence of germs in raw milk is unpredictable. Raw milk contains bacteria that can be harmful. Most outbreaks in raw milk are caused by Campylobacter, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or Salmonella. If you are pregnant, drinking raw dairy increases the chance of complications from Listeria bacteria.
If you have heard that raw milk is a good source of beneficial bacteria and enzymes are important to the human gut microbiome, please remember that you may get sick from the harmful bacteria instead. Reports of improved digestion from raw goat milk need additional scientific research to support the claims. 2 If you think certain types of bacteria may benefit your health, consider trying foods that don’t involve such a high risk.
- Dairy Farmers of Canada (2021, July 1). Pasteurization does not destroy the nutritional value of milk. Dairy Nutrition. Retrieved September 1, 2023, from https://dairynutrition.ca/en/milk-quality/pasteurization/pasteurization-does-not-destroy-nutritional-value-milk#:~:text=Pasteurization%20is%20essential%20to%20ensure,and%20increase%20its%20shelf%20life.&text=With%20the%20exception%20of%20decreasing,the%20nutritional%20value%20of%20milk.
