An analysis on how switching to a more balanced and naturally improved milk would affect consumer health and the environment

Laura Roibás; Ismael Martínez; Alfonso Goris; Rocío Barreiro; Almudena Hospido

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.141

An analysis on how switching to a more balanced and naturally improved milk would affect consumer health and the environment

Sci Total Environ. 2016 Oct 1:566-567:685-697. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.141. Epub 2016 May 27.

Authors

Laura Roibás¹, Ismael Martínez², Alfonso Goris², Rocío Barreiro³, Almudena Hospido⁴

Affiliations

¹ Group of Environmental Engineering and Bioprocesses, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Technology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Electronic address: laura.roibas.cela@usc.es.
² Feiraco Sociedade Cooperativa Galega, Ponte Maceira s/n, 15864 Ames, Spain.
³ Laboratory of Food Hygiene, Inspection and Control (LHICA), Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain.
⁴ Group of Environmental Engineering and Bioprocesses, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Technology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

PMID: 27239712
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.141

Abstract

This study compares a premium brand of UHT milk, Unicla, characterised by an improved nutritional composition, to conventional milk, in terms of health effects and environmental impacts. Unlike enriched milks, in which nutrients are added to the final product, Unicla is obtained naturally by improving the diet of the dairy cows. Health effects have been analysed based on literature findings, while the environmental analysis focused on those spheres of the environment where milk is expected to cause the higher impacts, and thus carbon (CF) and water footprints (WF) have been determined. Five final products have been compared: 3 conventional (skimmed, semi-skimmed, whole) and 2 Unicla (skimmed, semi-skimmed) milks. As a functional unit, one litre of packaged UHT milk entering the regional distribution centre has been chosen. The improved composition of Unicla milk is expected to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and to protect consumers against oxidative damage, among other health benefits. Concerning the environmental aspect, CF of Unicla products are, on average, 10% lower than their conventional equivalents, mainly due to the lower enteric emissions of caused by the Unicla diet. No significant differences were found between the WF of Unicla and conventional milk. Raw milk is the main contributor to both footprints (on average, 83.2 and 84.3% of the total CF of Unicla and conventional milk, respectively, and 99.9% of WF). The results have been compared to those found in literature, and a sensitivity analysis has been performed to verify their robustness. The study concludes that switching to healthier milk compositions can help slowing down global warming, without contributing to other environmental issues such as water scarcity. The results should encourage other milk companies to commit to the development of healthier, less environmentally damaging products, and also to stimulate consumers to bet on them.

Keywords: Carbon footprint; Dairy; Enriched milk; Health; Nutrition; Water footprint.

MeSH terms

Animals
Carbon Footprint*
Cattle / growth & development
Cattle / physiology
Dairying / methods*
Diet / veterinary*
Female
Milk / chemistry*
Nutritive Value*