Milk

[Kyle]

Hey guys, is it safe to drink milk from the vendors in the streets in India? They normally sell it in plastic bags and it's color coded. What do all the colors mean?

 

[Chahal]

Colors are for different percentage of fat content and those bags are safe as it is pasteurised milk.

 

[amelia88]

Color coded plastic bags - now you have me curious! Is there some sort of signage letting you know which color is for which percentage?

 

[arthnel]

I've never tried the milk in India, mainly because I'm not milky kind of guy. I don't recall seeing a color-coded scheme though but it would very interesting to find out what they mean. Maybe milk from different animals like goats, sheep and cows milk. I'm just assuming. It would be nice to get a break-down though. Are cows milked in India though, considering the sacred values given to them in these parts?

 

[Cookie]

Wow that is something I would never have thought to ask...and I drink loads of milk so it should have been higher up my priority list! I hope the colours are the same as here or I'm going to end up getting my usual 'blue top' (full fat) and ending up drinking skimmed or something.

 

[Salman]

I like milk chocolates but not too fond of milk! Anyway, milk should be safe if you're buying the packaged variety but avoid anything that i sold open i.e. not in packets. Well, milk is good for energy as well as body nutrition so I guess drinking milk is a good idea.

 

[Paul]

My friend told me about the milk vendors. She said it was perfectly fine and pasteurized. However, I don't remember what were the colors for though.

 

[George]

I had no idea they used color coding on milk sold in India. I am curious if the vendors sell camel milk too. I heard it is excellent and a lot of people travel far to drink the milk.

 

[Andrew]

I have never been a major milk drinker, but my wife is. I’m glad to learn that she can buy milk from the street vendors. I was worried it wouldn’t be safe to drink.

 

[arthnel]

I was hoping to come back and get some more information on the color coded milk. I'm trying to research it online but nothing there much either. I've also heard of camel milk and I heard it's very good and not fatty at all. I would like to try to at least say I know the flavor it has. I'm still keeping my ears open for any news on the milk with colors though.

 

[Jaynee]

I've never tried the milk in India, mainly because I'm not milky kind of guy. I don't recall seeing a color-coded scheme though but it would very interesting to find out what they mean. Maybe milk from different animals like goats, sheep and cows milk. I'm just assuming. It would be nice to get a break-down though. Are cows milked in India though, considering the sacred values given to them in these parts?

There was a scare a couple of years ago about India's cows producing toxic milk because they were eating garbage and whatever they could find on the streets.

 

[GinaMax]

This is not the only county who puts their milks in bags. I found it quite odd the first time I encountered it, but then I began to see why it might be a better system then the plastic jugs we use here. The color codding is what confused me. Here in the US we color code the milk to define what type of milk it is, the same as they do in India. The problem is that one store uses one key, another uses a different key and others use other keys. Some stores use red for whole milk and some places use red for 2%. I just assumed that there was no standard in other countries, either.

 

[jnorth88]

This is an interesting topic. A friend of mine actually works in the dairy industry and consulted heavily in India. There are some clear problems with logistics. Refrigeration is not always implemented depending on locality and brand. This means that milk is fine if had fresh, but will spoil very quickly. Also, there are problems with counterfeit milk, which can even use recycled bags taken from the trash. The big storess do not have this problem, but small vendors do. These are easy to avoid, though, because the heat seal on the seams will be rough and easy to spot. Just like with all milk, always take a taste first to ensure it has not soured. Bags that feel bloated are already spoiling, causing a buildup of gas.

But do not worry too much. A lot of people forget this, but when milk spoils, it is actually turning into buttermilk, a great ingredient for pancakes and waffles. There is a bit more to the process, but getting a sip, or even drinking sour milk will not kill you. It won't be tasty, but it is not the end of the world.