PUBLIC CONCERNS ABOUT CERTAIN MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES AND ADDITIVES IN DAIRY PRODUCTION: ARE THEY JUSTIFIED?

Probably under activist pressure and uninformed public perceptions, certain milk processors and retailers began to make label claims describing specific production systems and management procedures on dairy farms, thereby confusing consumers by creating the impression that milk produced under specific conditions is healthier or safer than other milk. Claims include the practice of organic farming, the non-use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), pesticides and ionophore antibiotics and the marketing of recombinant bovine somatotropin (r-bST) free milk. Absence-claim labels may imply that the labelled milk is safer or better than non-labelled milk. The question is, are these claims justified?

The review by Erasmus and Webb provides unequivocal evidence that milk from r-bST supplemented cows is completely safe for human consumption, since bST is a protein, which is digested like other animal and plant proteins, it is species specific, and most bST in milk is denaturated by pasteurization. Fears of higher levels of the hormone insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels in r-bST milk are unfounded, since these are insignificant compared with the daily secretion of IGF-1 in human saliva and gastro-intestinal secretions. Also, r-bST does not affect milk composition. All milk (that is conventional, r-bST free and organic) is compositionally similar, and all milk is wholesome. Various studies have also confirmed that r-bST does not affect milk flavour or manufacturing characteristics that are important during the production of processed dairy foods such as cheese or yoghurt.

With regard to ionophores such as Rumensin, the authors indicated that there is no pathway of ionophore antibiotics from feed to milk and there is no scientific basis for concerns that these additives can give rise to transmissible resistance factors that may compromise the therapeutic use of antibiotics in humans.

Organic farming is recognized as a possible way forward to improve sustainability in agriculture. However, it is shown to require more resources and produce less dairy products per unit input, which currently makes it less profitable. Improving productive efficiency by using technologies is currently the most logical approach to mitigating the environmental impact of the dairy herd. To that effect, the potential of r-bST and feed additives such as ionophore antibiotics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should be recognized and implemented where applicable.

In summary then: there is no reason to be concerned and consequently no justification to label milk and dairy products to that effect.

Reference:

                                                                                                                                                                 L.J.ErasmusL.J. L.J. Erasmus & E.C. Webb, 2013. The effect of production system and management practices on the environmental impact, quality and safety of milk and dairy products. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 43, 424-434.