International Journal of Dairy Science and Technology (IJDST) ISSN: 1716-3498,  Vol. 4(2), pp. 225-237, September, 2020. © Advanced Scholars Journals

Review paper

Varieties of market milk and consumers perception – A review

Laguna Paredes CL^a*, Rossmann B^a and Schreiner M^b

^*aInstitute for Food Safety Vienna, AGES Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Spargelfeldstrasse 191, 1220 Vienna, Austria.

^bInstitute of Food Science, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria.

*Corresponding Author Email: [email protected]

Accepted 7 September, 2020.

Abstract

 As a natural product, cow´s milk is traditionally consumed for its high nutritional value. Its product quality can be influenced only by different farming practices, food technologies, or selection of breed. Any other manipulation of milk such as the use of additives is not permitted. Since producers always aim to point out special characteristics of their product, consumers are confronted with recently implemented names of milk such as Haymilk, Meadow milk, Demeter milk or A2 milk. Consumers often negatively perceive terms connected with food technology (e.g. homogenization), whilst sustainability in connection with animal husbandry and farming practices is generally positively connoted. Dairy industry increasingly uses sustainability data e.g. minimized carbon and water footprints as marketing strategies. This information either is placed directly on the product or is provided on the company homepage.This review provides an overview of current varieties of cow’smilk in terms of production and consumers perception and discusses the real differences in milk quality.

Keywords: milk, extended shelf life,farming practices, A2 milk, health claims, lactose free milk, carbon footprint.