| WHEN you buy a quart of milk at the market, it | | | | making the milk relatively safe for use. However, |
| is not likely that you think of it as baby food. | | | | in order to kill all of the bacteria and spores, the |
| That, of course, is actually what it is. | | | | milk would have to be sterilized as is done with |
| Nevertheless, milk has become a popular adult | | | | evaporated and condensed milk, and that requires |
| food, being used in cooking and in various drinks. | | | | much higher temperatures. Many people dislike the |
| But is this baby food really good for adults? | | | | flavor of sterilized milk. |
| The milk you are most familiar with is, no doubt, | | | | Some persons have objections to pasteurized |
| cow’s milk. There are countries, however, | | | | milk because the heat used in pasteurizing it |
| where the people are accustomed to using milk | | | | decreases the amount of vitamin C and vitamin |
| from other types of animals. Goat’s milk, for | | | | B1 in the milk and destroys the useful lactic acid |
| example, is popular in the countries around the | | | | bacteria. As much as 15 percent of the vitamin-B1 |
| Mediterranean Sea as well as in Norway, | | | | content is destroyed by the heat. Raw milk, on |
| Switzerland, Latin America and in parts of Asia | | | | the other hand, may have the vitamins, but it also |
| and Africa. In Arctic regions people use milk from | | | | has a greater potential for carrying dangerous |
| horses and reindeer. Sheep milk is popular in Spain | | | | bacteria. Extra care is required to make it safe. |
| and Italy. In India and the Philippine Republic the | | | | Although milk is not a perfect food, it is a most |
| use of water-buffalo milk is not uncommon, and in | | | | complete food. It contains about fifty different |
| South America llama milk is used. | | | | substances. There are, however, several |
| No matter what type of milk is used, however, it | | | | elements necessary for growth that are lacking in |
| can be dangerous. Why is this? Because it is easily | | | | milk, such as copper, iron, iodine and manganese. |
| contaminated by disease-producing bacteria and is | | | | When comparing human milk with cow’s milk |
| an ideal medium in which they can rapidly multiply. | | | | a pronounced difference can be noted. Human |
| Diseases such as tuberculosis, undulant fever, | | | | milk has two or three times as much vitamin C |
| typhoid fever, septic sore throat, scarlet fever | | | | as cow’s milk. It also has one and a half times |
| and diphtheria can be spread by milk. | | | | as much milk sugar. On the other hand, cow’s |
| Safeguarding Milk | | | | milk contains more casein and ash. This is a factor |
| So, if you use milk, it is important that you use | | | | to consider when feeding an infant. |
| only milk that is clean. When you bring it home | | | | Even when cow’s milk has been altered by |
| put it in a cold place. This is necessary so as to | | | | adding more milk sugar, it still is no substitute for |
| prevent bacteria from multiplying too rapidly. Do | | | | human milk. Cane sugar is not the same as milk |
| not pour it into unclean containers or expose it to | | | | sugar, thus the use of cane sugar does not really |
| flies and dust as that could introduce undesirable | | | | bring the sugar content of cow’s milk closer |
| bacteria. | | | | to that of human milk. The needs of a baby are |
| Milk companies try to protect you by sterilizing | | | | best met by human milk, not cow’s milk. |
| their milk containers and by pasteurizing the milk. | | | | Also, when fed from the breast a baby gets the |
| This is a process in which the milk is heated to | | | | full value of the vitamin C in the milk because the |
| 143 degrees Fahrenheit and held there for thirty | | | | milk is not exposed to air, which causes this |
| minutes. The heat kills most of the bacteria, | | | | vitamin to be destroyed by oxidation. |