Will ultra-pasteurized milk replace pasteurized milk?

Ultra-pasteurized milk is essentially a choice that caters to the consumer demand of pasteurized milk, but takes second place in terms of craftsmanship and quality.In the seemingly calm dairy industry, a dark battle is taking place that is enough to change the definition of fresh milk and affect the competitive landscape of dairy companies.

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Many consumers have recently discovered that a variety of "fresh" milk with a shelf life of 15 to more than 20 days has appeared in the refrigerated areas of supermarkets and convenience stores. This has subverted people's perception of fresh milk. "The shelf life of fresh milk that needs to be refrigerated is generally 3 days to 5 days, with a maximum of 7 days. Why is the shelf life of fresh milk getting longer and longer? Can it be stored for 20 days, or is it fresh milk?" the consumer expressed Such confusion. Many consumers know that Tetra Pak milk with a shelf life of 6-9 months is called normal temperature milk, and its nutritional value and taste will be lost during the process of UHT sterilization. More qualified consumers are willing to choose refrigerated low-temperature fresh milk with a shelf life of 3 days to 7 days and packaged in cartons and plastic bags. Traditional low-temperature fresh milk has a more professional name: pasteurized milk. Compared with the ultra-high temperature and short-time sterilization of normal temperature milk, pasteurized milk retains more nutrients and flavors as much as possible through the pasteurization method of lower temperature and longer time.

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In the context of the rising demand for low-temperature milk, the above-mentioned shelf life is longer than that of pasteurized milk but shorter than that of normal-temperature milk, and a "new species" with a sterilization temperature between the two has emerged. At present, there are many names for this type of milk in the industry, and the range of products included in each name is also inconsistent. This article selects the more recognized concept of "ultra-pasteurized milk" (hereinafter referred to as "ultra-pasteurized milk"). The shelf life of ultra-pasteurized milk is 10 to 20 days longer than that of pasteurized milk. Compared with pasteurized milk, the taste and nutrition are somewhat discounted, but this kind of milk also indicates that it needs to be refrigerated like pasteurized milk. Due to the asymmetry of information between dairy companies and the outside world, the relevant standards and packaging labels are not clear, consumers do not know the difference between pasteurized milk and ultra-pasteurized milk, and even have no way of knowing whether a milk in the refrigeration area is low-temperature milk.

Pasteurized milk has higher requirements on the product operation ability of dairy enterprises, and many dairy enterprises are difficult to meet such requirements, and the use of ultra-pasteurized milk technology can extend the shelf life by 10 to 20 days, which makes a batch of enterprises with limited product conditions also Can sit on the "card table" of the low-temperature milk business.

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But in fact, whether dairy companies choose to produce normal temperature milk or low temperature milk, in addition to market demand, also depends on a variety of objective factors. A dairy industry source told 《Finance》that a dairy company will determine a company that it is confident in based on its own raw milk quality, production process, raw milk distance from the market, cold chain capabilities, channel efficiency and management capabilities. Shelf life. High-quality raw milk, or milk sources that are closer to the consumer market, can be sterilized at a lower temperature and have a shorter shelf life; if the raw milk is not very good, or the milk source is remote and the cold chain resources are insufficient, and the freshness cannot be guaranteed, it is necessary to use more High sterilization temperature to extend shelf life. In short, the threshold for making pasteurized milk is much higher than normal?temperature milk.

The latest to enter the ultra-pak milk market is Coca-Cola. On September 25, 2021, Coca-Cola and Mengniu’s joint venture, “Keniu Liao Dairy Products”, launched Fairlife, a super-baked milk product with a 28-day shelf life. Compared with the traditional low-temperature pasteurized milk with a shelf life of 3 days to 7 days, Xian Feile should be the low-temperature milk product with the longest shelf life on the market.

An important question for consumers is that even if ultra-pasteurized milk is suspected of being "fake" pasteurized milk, how different is its quality from traditional pasteurized milk?

The intrinsic quality of milk is usually measured in terms of both flavor and nutrients. Compared to pasteurized milk, the flavor and nutrition of ultra-pasteurized milk decrease as the temperature of sterilization increases, and the convenience offered by the product increases accordingly. Flavor includes the mouthfeel, texture, and aroma of milk. The destruction of β-lactoglobulin in milk will lead to the production of volatile sulfur compounds in milk, resulting in the appearance of cooking taste. The higher the sterilization temperature, the stronger the cooked taste and the more loss of texture and aroma of fresh milk. . The same is true for nutrients. During the sterilization process of raw milk, the higher the sterilization temperature, the more serious the damage to the active protein structure and the loss of vitamins. If the sterilization temperature of an ultra-pasteurized milk is between normal temperature milk and pasteurized milk, then its taste, nutrient content and shelf life will fall between the two accordingly.

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It is generally believed that the main supplements for drinking milk are protein and calcium. Normal temperature milk and the latest ultra-pak milk can also provide sufficient protein and calcium. Therefore, in the dairy industry, whether the loss of active nutrients and vitamins caused by sterilization and heating of raw milk will have a significant impact on the human body has long been a controversial topic. However, the current consensus among dairy experts is that pasteurized milk is still the best choice for consumers when conditions permit. The above-mentioned dairy company said that it is an exaggeration to say that normal temperature milk is like instant noodles, with heavy processing marks, and people still like to eat hand-rolled noodles when conditions permit.

Low-temperature ultra-pasteurized milk is a step forward from normal temperature milk to better quality, but there is essentially no technological innovation and improvement in ultra-pasteurized milk.