It’s a practice in all homes where food safety and hygiene are important, to boil milk long and thoroughly to kill off any lurking bacteria. But it’s not what nutritionists recommend. Boiling milk for a long period of time means the loss of vital nutrients (protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, calcium and other micronutrients).
Proper boiling and consumption procedures should be followed. With some nutrients being lost when milk is diluted with water, re-heating and over heating milk causes more nutrients to be lost, says Dr Sanjeev Bagai, senior paediatrician and CEO of Radiant Life Care, New Delhi.
“Using copper utensils to boil milk is another cause for concern. With over-heating and re-heating, the milk comes in contact with toxic copper which leads to serious health ailments affecting the kidneys, poor cognitive development and IQ among children.” Dr A.K. Singh, senior scientist at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, says pasteurised milk available in the market which undergoes a process called high temperature, short time (HTST) should be boiled at a temperature of 72 degrees Celsius for about 15 seconds. “This forms the ideal condition to destroy pathogenic micro-organisms and render the milk safe for consumption. Meanwhile the ultra-heat treatment (UHT) treated milk needs to be boiled at a temperature of 135-137 degrees Celsius for about one to four seconds.”
Milk that comes directly from the milkman after milking the cattle requires to be heated at 100 degrees Celsius for about two minutes. It’s also best to drink milk as soon as possible after it is boiled. If kept for long in the open there are chances of re-contamination, Dr Singh added.
Retention of quality milk nutrients is quite a serious issue for overall child nutrition and health, says Dr Jagmeet Madan, president of the Indian Dietetics Association, Mumbai Chapter. “The newer technology that has come with UHT and the tetra pak (six layer protective packaging) gives an alternative to boiling as it can be directly consumed. Sensitising the public regarding proper boiling practices is needed,” she said.