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PUBLIC
HEALTH AND COW MILK
Introduction
Milk
is one food for which there seems to be no adequate
substitute. Man uses milk of many animals as his
food. The cow is the most important of all these
animals as supplier of food. However, buffalo
and goat milk are also used by some communities.
Nutritive
Value
Milk
is a complex mixture of lipids, carbohydrates,
proteins and many other organic compounds and
inorganic salts dissolved or dispersed in water.
The most variable component of milk is fat followed
by protein. The composition of milk varies with
the species, bread, diet, lactational period and
interval between milkings.
Cow’s Milk (per 100 gms)
| Nutrient |
Amount
available |
| Protein
|
3.2 gm
|
| Fat |
4.1
gm
|
| Carbohydrate
|
4.4 gm
|
| Energy |
67
Kc
|
| Calcium
|
120 mg
|
| Phosphorous
|
90 mg
|
| Iron
|
0.2
mg
|
| Carotene
|
53
mg
|
| Thiamin
|
0.05
mg
|
| Riboflavin |
0.19
mg
|
| Niacin |
0.10
mg
|
| Folic
acid |
8.5
mg
|
| Vitamin
C
|
2
mg
|
Milk
has a very good quality protein and the biological
value is over 90. Though milk contains only 3
– 4% protein, due to the rich quality of protein
and the amount that can be ingested and the presence
of other nutrients, makes it indispensable. Lysine
is one of the essential amino acid which is abundant
in milk protein. Cheese, Khoa and dehydrated milk
powders are concentrated forms hence contain high
amount of nutrients per unit.
The
fat of milk is easily digestible. It contains
linoleic acid (2.1%), linolenic acid (0.5%) and
arachidonic acid (0.14%). Diary foods are a major
source of calcium because of significant amount
of minerals present. The calcium : phosphorous
ratio (1.2:1) in milk is regarded as most favourable
for bone development. In addition dairy products
contain other nutrients such as vitamin D and
lactose which favour calcium absorption.
Milk
is not only used as such but many products, fermented
and non-fermented are used in cookery. Nutritive
value of different milk products are as follows
:
ITEM
|
Protein
(g)
|
Fat
(g)
|
Minerals
(g)
|
Carboh-ydrate(g)
|
Energy
(Kcal)
|
Calcium
(mg)
|
Phospho-rous(mg)
|
Iron
(mg)
|
|
Curd (cow’s milk)
|
3.1
|
4.0
|
0.8
|
3.0
|
60
|
149
|
93
|
0.2
|
|
Butter milk
|
0.8
|
1.1
|
0.1
|
0.5
|
15
|
30
|
30
|
0.1
|
|
Skimmed milk (liquid)
|
2.5
|
0.1
|
0.7
|
4.6
|
29
|
120
|
90
|
0.2
|
|
Channa (cow’s milk)
|
18.3
|
20.8
|
2.6
|
1.2
|
265
|
208
|
138
|
-
|
|
Cheese
|
24.1
|
25.1
|
4.2
|
6.3
|
348
|
790
|
520
|
2.1
|
|
Khoa (whole cow milk)
|
20.2
|
25.9
|
4.0
|
24.9
|
413
|
956
|
613
|
-
|
|
Skimmed milk powder (cow’s milk)
|
38.0
|
0.1
|
6.8
|
51.0
|
357
|
1370
|
1000
|
1.4
|
|
Whole milk powder (cow’s milk)
|
25.8
|
26.7
|
6.0
|
38.0
|
496
|
950
|
730
|
0.6
|
ITEM
|
Carotene
(mg)
|
Thiamin
(mg)
|
Ribofla-vin
(mg)
|
Niacin
(mg)
|
Folic
acid (mg)
|
Vitamin
C (mg)
|
|
Curd (cow’s milk)
|
31
|
0.05
|
0.16
|
0.1
|
12.5
|
1
|
|
Butter milk
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Skimmed milk (liquid)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
0.1
|
-
|
1
|
|
Channa (cow’s milk)
|
110
|
0.07
|
0.02
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
|
Cheese
|
82
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Khoa (whole cow milk)
|
149
|
0.23
|
0.41
|
0.4
|
-
|
6
|
|
Skimmed milk powder (cow’s milk)
|
-
|
0.45
|
1.64
|
1.0
|
-
|
5
|
|
Whole milk powder (cow’s milk)
|
420
|
0.31
|
1.36
|
0.8
|
-
|
4
|
Importance of milk in the diet is evident from
the above discussion. Adequate amount of milk
should be included in the diet specially for infants,
young children and women.
National Family Health Survey – 2 (NFHS-2) has
shown that about 45% of married women had either
occasionally or never had milk or curd in their
diet.
Percent
Distribution of Married Women (1998 – 1999)
Food
Frequency of consumption
| Milk
or curd |
Daily
|
37.5%
|
| Weekly |
17.4%
|
| Occasionally |
34.1%
|
| Never |
10.9%
|
There
is also wide variation among states. Women in
Haryana and Punjab consume milk or curd at
least once a week, whereas women in Manipur
and Arunachal Pradesh consume milk or curd regularly.
All
India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health conducted
a nutrition survey in six states of India under
the National Pilot Programme on Control of Micronutrient
Malnutrition, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
Govt. of India. This survey was conducted in one
district of each of six states, namely Assam,
Bihar (Jharkhand), Orissa, West Bengal, Tripura
and Gujarat.
The
study indicated that consumption rates of milk
and milk products were much less than the recommended
dietary allowances (150 mg/acu/day) as recommended
by ICMR.
Consumption rates of milk and milk products in
different surveyed states were found to be as
follows :
|
STATES (District)
|
Average (consump. in gm)
|
Percentage
deficit
|
|
Assam (Kamrup)
|
20.6
|
86.3
|
|
Bihar / Jharkhand (Gumla)
|
15.8
|
89.4
|
|
Orissa (Jajpur)
|
26.6
|
82.3
|
|
West Bengal (Bankura)
|
68.2
|
54.5
|
|
Tripura (West district)
|
61.3
|
59.1
|
Recommended Dietary Allowances – 150 mg
It
is observed that consumption of milk and milk
products is most inadequate.
Because
of its high nutritive value, milk should be consumed
specially by young children, pregnant and lactating
mothers, old age people etc. If there is intolerance
for ordinary milk, milk products may be consumed.
It contributes to the total nutritive value of
the diet.
Therefore, necessary steps need to be taken to
encourage more intake of milk by making the dairy
system strong (health and well looked after animals,
proper processing etc.), ensure better availability
and access, reduce cost so that it is affordable
and lastly motivate people by making them aware.
Milk can help in improving the overall nutritional
status of the vulnerable population in a significant
manner.
Prof.
Indira Chakravarty
DIRECTOR-PROF. DEAN & Head
DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY & NUTRITION
ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF HYGIENE & PUBLIC
HEALTH
GOVT. OF INDIA
110, Chittaranjan Avenue, Calcutta – 700 073
Reference consulted :
1. B. SriLakshmi ; Food Sciences
; 2nd edition
2.
C. Gopalan ; B. V. Rama Sastri ; S.C. Balasubramanium
; Nutritive Value of Indian Foods, National Institute
of Nutrition, ICMR, Hyderabad
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