Future of Milk distribution from Dairy Processors to Home

While the entire world is going through a crisis and facing many challenges, the situation also presents us with an opportunity; an opportunity to change and evolve.

Though as 21st-century citizens, we have been quite eco-friendly in some way or another, the majority of us, until very recently, didn't think our small actions would have any impact on the environment. But the current lockdown situation has proved that if we take these small actions collectively, nature can flourish again.

Coming to the dairy industry, one such action needs to be doing away with plastic pouches for milk. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi readies to unveil his drive to eliminate single-use plastic by 2022, which is choking the environment, we as industry pioneers need to provide the alternatives and need to eliminate it from our lives.

Milk Cartons

Milk cartons already have a place in the market and are readily available at major supermarkets. The ease of storage and longer shelf life makes these recyclable tetra-packs a worthy option for both distributors and end consumers.

However, it is not the most preferred option for a lot of suppliers due to high capital and processing costs, especially those catering to a more economical, price sensitive consumer base. The same consumer segment usually also has a perception that the milk is not fresh.

Glass Bottles

The use of glass bottles is not a new phenomenon; it was what large scale plants used before switching to plastic pouches. Many Delhiites still recall with nostalgia those days when they would make a dash to the Delhi Milk Scheme booth early in the morning to fetch their supply of milk. The milk then came in wide-mouthed glass bottles with easily peelable aluminium covers.Today a lot of small scale suppliers have created their niche markets with glass bottle deliveries at your doorsteps.

The idea of glass bottles is attractive - they can be recycled and reused, and often boast 'fresher' milk in comparison to cartons. But due to the drawbacks of logistics involved in distribution, collecting back empties, capital costs in infrastructure (bottle washing, filling, big cold stores), bulkiness, accidents due to breakage and injuries to operators, glass bottle has turned out to be a difficult and an expensive choice for the major players who are supplying lakhs of litres of milk everyday

Vending Machines

Why not just eliminate the packaging? With the use of vending machines milk plants can save substantial differential costs and can also eliminate the drawbacks of packaging. And with growing technology, vending machines have moved beyond your humble neighbourhood Mother Dairy with 'token milk' to vending machines which provide the flexibility of Any Time Milk.

There are advanced machines that do not require manpower, and then there are the mobile vending machines that bring milk where you are. While this is a promising option, since the onus of logistics from retail points to homes lies on the end consumer, it can be a challenge. There is also an undeniable chance of adulteration at the retail point with certain machines

From the farmers perspective, vending machines do provide a platform to sell milk directly to consumers. Farmers earn better prices, increased farm household incomes and consumers benefit in getting fresh milk.

Even though all the alternatives have their pros and cons, the verdict is clear. We do need to get rid of plastic. After that, it's all about finding the best option that meets everyone's expectations.

By Amardeep Singh Chadha

Email: info@chadhasales.com, web: www.chadhasales.com

Milk Packaging for Distribution Past, Present and future

You are well aware by time everything changes and we need to change our organizational capabilities and strategies according to the future so that we are ready for the challenges which would be thrown at us in future.

As the subject says be future ready for your distribution of product and milk in the coming time we will see changes in how milk is offered in this world. In this article I will be referring to my understanding in the Indian context. As we know, India is the biggest producer of milk and is different from other countries and the consumers behavior is also different. So in what ways in the coming future the milk will be delivered, we just can't copy what is going in Europe, USA or other developed countries. and can bring it to India. Yes, surely we can give it a thought. Another thing we need to look at is climate change which is one of the biggest threats to our existence.

With the priority of climate change, the Indian government is making new policies to compliment a better future for our citizens. One of the largest activities in climate change is to save the ozone layer and for that it has banned refrigerant gases which are not ozone friendly. Similarly there are other initiatives, one of which is important is also the plastic ban. Plastic is the only material which is non-degradable; its complex polymer structure makes it durable and non-degradable. People have become used to plastic made products in day to day life usage such as, one of the important things is food packaging and also which is used in milk pouches. Because of this, such high quantities of plastic waste have accumulated and it is raising alarm which is hazardous. Currently India is ranked no. 4 producers of plastic waste in the world.

There are already laws for aggressive use of plastic in India for plastic made products but still it is being taken by convenience. 26 Indian states have banned plastic bags in India.

I would like to give an latest example of latest contagious disease “COVID-19” which is famously called “CORONAVIRUS”, so the same way this disease has spread all over the world and in one day India`s Prime Minister says that there is a 21 days lockdown in the country and everything stopped.

We all really appreciate the early action taken by our government and our Prime Minister of India to save our lives from this deadly contagious CORONAVIRUS which has helped us to fight against this disease together. I don’t see the day is too far when our government and Prime Minister of India will announce that from today all the used plastic will be banned in whatever form and also the plastic used as plastic pouches of milk will no longer be used and at that point of time what would be our Indian Dairy Industry would do what choices would they have. So with this article we will now contemplate what future options are available in the Indian market for distribution of milk across India.

Before we get into the future I would like to put that in early years when the milk distribution was started it was completely loose milk that is the way the Dairy Industry started by distributing the loose milk thereafter from 1884 glass bottles were the first milk packaging material used for distribution of milk to the consumers during 2nd World War wax quoted paper container came into existence for selling packaged milk for distributing to the consumer and thereafter there was a plastic quoted paper came into existence for distribution and today most of the dairy packaging material is comprise of plastic pouches which is because of ease of distribution is highly used in the dairy industry.

The packaging industry has always innovated packaging to create a longer shelf life for milk, but in an Indian context the consumer of high shelf milk acceptance is very marginal and would still like to drink as fresh as possible milk available to them. A lot of countries are putting in place and encouraging companies to create eco-friendly packaging for milk such as bioplastic which is made from cornstarch. There is also packaging which is biodegradable plastic which contains material so that the plastic gets decades if it is exposed to the sunlight and air then there are recycled plastic which has been common for use in the dairy industry.

The famous innovations are recyclable pulp fiber transparent packaging again made up of pet bottles recyclable mono material which comprises layers of only PE Lamination and another very famous in India is the Tetra Pak . Then there are innovations in biodegradable dairy bottles, which are free from synthetic plastic plasticizers

The new innovations will take time to achieve commercial success and fit into the economics of the Indian milk packaging industry, until then we will have only three ways to distribute milk to homes
1. Carton Packing
2. Glass Bottles
3. Bulk Milk Vending

Carton Packing

Here, I would give you some 4 points about carton containers such as Tetra Pak, if plastic pouches are banned.

Tetra pak is also a single use container such as plastic pouch. We need to understand how it is produced, what its recycling process is and what are the environmental claims which would decide whether Tetra Pak will be good for the environment. We have to look out that there will still be waste generated by using Tetra Pak in the first place and there will be a recycling rate or percentage of the waste which can be recycled so would this be a perfect answer for replacing milk pouches and getting out of a plastic crisis which we need to attend to
Tetra Pak claims to be a safe alternative to plastic pouches but the fact is unfortunately there is only a small amount of Tetra PAK which is recycled. Tetra Pak website says that the recycling rate currently 26% worldwide for all the Tetrapak and this is because of a fewer recycling facilities which accept Tetra Pak recycling this would be in the Tetrapak thrown out in the garbage similar way the other waste and plastic pouches and plastic bottles are thrown. According to Tetra Pak, India website it says 50% of Tetra Pak cartons are recycled in India
To understand Tetra PAK we should know it is made up of 14% of plastic sheets 6% bio plastic cap, if the Tetra carton is with a cap, 75% is the cardboard and 5% aluminium is used to make a Tetra Pak. Once the Tetra Pak cartons go to the recycling facility they are broken into their base material which is 75% is cardboard paper which is technically they are able to separate from the Tetra PAK and then it is recycled into paper products. Only the cardboard portion is recycled into paper product the other layer which is a combination of aluminium and plastic mixture which is called poly aluminium, are bound together must be down cycled into single used items then it can be recycled so this poly aluminium is now down cycled into single used items which is used for landfill like floor mats, hard plastic items, flooring, plastic panels etc. Normally, we hold the product to see if it is recyclable or not that is not important. The important thing is the product which is in our hands. If it is made from recycled material then it will be good for the environment as Tetra Pak currently does not use recycled paper for the manufacturing of their packaging material. They used virgin plants / trees / cellulose for the creation of their new carton.
A closed loop recycling system is the only solution to save our environment and secure our future. The big problem in this industry is when the material is not a part of the closed loop recycling system. This means that you can put the material in the same system over and over again without the need of extra virgin material to make it usable again. Tetra packs are not a closed loop because they are made up of various materials that cannot be brought back into the system to make a new Tetra Pak. However it will be better than plastic but sooner or later we will create another problem for our environment.

Summary:
So there are benefits of the Tetra Pak packaging by which the shelf life of the milk is increased. Tetra Pak would be a better solution in comparison to plastic pouches but not a solution as a whole. However, in the Indian context, Indian consumers are more interested in fresh milk than milk that is 3-4 months old. The real solution would be to adopt a culture of reuse.

Milk Glass Bottles.

We would remember our past when we used to buy milk bottles in Glass. In fact, it would be in profound memory that when we were kids we used to get our milk bottles from Delhi milk scheme in Delhi from their booth. Later all the milk packaging has changed to plastic pouches. However, we see some of the companies have come up with glass bottles again for distribution of milk, but generally for farm fresh milk. So there are many reasons for this and still there are environmental concerns also which would be better and which would be less damaging to the environment. There could be advantages as well as disadvantages of glass milk bottles that let us drive deep into the same.

The closure of milk bottles earlier from the market could be due to certain reasons. First of all the competition and the price war and with that plastic pouches were convenient and easy to distribute hence more profitable for dairy enterprises.
Also the milk deliveries are not so economical and viable as these milk bottles are to be delivered and then old glass milk bottles are collected and require a good supply chain management and logistics.
At the moment the beauty of glass milk bottles is that they are still sold at almost double the price of the milk pouches so the glass milk bottle has a premium image of the milk and has been bought by environmentally friendly consumers.
The biggest advantages of glass milk bottles is that the packaging is reusable once the milk is consumed, the empty glass bottle washed and given back to the processor and the processor cleans it fully and then uses it for refilling which is 100% environmentally friendly and reusable. This is a victory of glass bottle
To manufacture glass bottles requires more than thrice the energy against the production of milk pouches in plastic or in bottles hence producing glass bottles we generate more CO2 in comparison to plastic by weight. But if you see the reuse ability of glass bottles again and again in that comparison the still glass will win over the plastic production.
The container recycling institute has researched and stated that the plastic bottles are recycled at the rate of 29% in comparison to the glass bottle which is recycled at the rate of 37% . By using single used plastic which ends up in the nature by entering the sea or landfill and which will take 100 of years to breakdown whereas the glass on the other hand people are more conscious to reuse it again and again after washing even the glass bottles they do not send it for refilling they use it themselves and still whenever it will not be in used it can be 100% recyclable.
Especially when we talk about consuming milk in a glass bottle it is far safer than the plastic pouches because the plastic comes with the risk which includes chemical pitching this means that the chemical will leak into the milk and pose a health risk. There are a lot of studies which are into the directions that because of the plastic use in food it can lead to cancerous diseases. The glass milk bottles do not have any health concerns. These glass bottles are made from natural material such as sand and limestone; this is the only material which FDA classifies as fully safe. Glass bottle is made of 100% natural composition and the glass is chemically innered that meaning it can not be made from any reactive chemicals. The glass bottles of milk are much easier to use in comparison to plastic pouches. It is difficult to handle pore with pouches in comparison to glass milk bottles. Plastic pouches are also nowadays under suspicion of adulteration where it has been seen that people are melting the plastic pouch and inserting water and diluting the milk so their question of reliability in plastic pouches are also there and the glass bottle is completely safe. There are certain disadvantages also of glass milk bottles the foremost and most important is the glass bottle is fragile and it can break down and it is not as flexible as plastic pouches. Once it is broken then it means it is useless and also the milk inside goes waste. Glasses are also susceptible to have sharp edges if it can break it can hurt someone. Glass milk bottles are heavier and take much more space in comparison to plastic pouches where they can be stacked one upon another easily. The other disadvantage of glass bottles could be that the seal of the glass bottle may not be hygienic reusing it again and again will be an expense on the consumer and to the dairy entrepreneur. Further the transparent glass bottle can result in degradation of milk when it is exposed to light for the milk if the material is translucent like the plastic pouches it gives advantage for the safekeeping of milk.

Summary
With the above advantages and disadvantages we have to see whether a glass bottle will be favourable or a feasible option for transporting and delivering milk. If we consider environmental advantages then yes the glass bottle would be the most positive thing which we can use and nowadays Indian consumers are conscious enough to buy more environmentally friendly products even in schools children are taught not to use plastic and also adults. Most of us do not buy plastic in any of the food uses. We are increasingly getting conscious of the effect on our environment. So we would see that there will be more glass milk bottles making a comeback.

So glass bottles seem to be a better choice in comparison to plastic pouches and even the Tetra Pak packaging.

BULK MILK VENDING

The best example of selling milk through Vending Machine is Mother Dairy which has its highest operation in Delhi and Mother Dairy milk has market share of 66% in the branded sector in Delhi whereas it sells 2.5 million liters of milk daily and undertakes its marketing operations through around 1400 retail outlets which is there installed bulk milk vending machines and over 1000 outlets of Mother Dairy.

The mother dairy website says that the company derives significant competitive advantages from its unique distribution of network for bulk milk vending booths, retail outlets and mobile units. Bulk Milk Vending can provide various advantages such as it is purely environmental friendly, does not use plastic and does not have any waste.

Another thing we need to understand is if it is Tetra pak or glass bottle the packaging cost will be too high especially if we compare with glass bottle there is lot of logistics cost and washing cost of glass bottle which will be not in the bulk milk vending as milk will be poured in bulk at one place so it will have a limited logistics in comparison to glass bottles.

Bulk milk vending machines are the “brand Maker”. If we go in the history, Mother Dairy become the largest player in Delhi is just because of their physical presence of brand their vending machines placed across the capital which created a popular and strong brand image of Mother dairy similar ways the bulk milk vending machines whichever brands are seen in the market gives a strong branding recognition in comparison to any other source.

If we need to honor our environment we need to go to our basics which is the distribution of the milk in loose. In bulk milk vending we are selling loose milk with that we also control the quality and the distribution for the modern businesses. Bulk milk vending has a longer life from 10 to 20 years hence it can be a recurring source of income for dairy entrepreneurs.

The milk vending machine also is helpful to have strong ties with repetitive customers in the specific area where these machines get installed. As there will be a future of super markets these machines can be installed easily in the super markets for vending milk and there is no manpower required to run these machines because of various payment paying options. The dairy enterprise which will sell milk through vending machines will have a socially acceptable respect in the consumers as they will be working for environmentally friendly solutions.

This can be used 24 hrs a day for dispensing milk and dairy enterprises can get rid of middle man and can have direct selling through milk vending machines having more control for quality and profitability. Milk vending machines become a complete shop with minimal space which enhance the visibility of the brand in the market. Dairy enterprises also get rid of shopkeepers and sales people in which they influence the various brands of milk to the consumers. All the milk contacting parts are food grade stainless steel hence the best solution for hygiene delivery of milk to consumers. Disadvantages could be a higher cost and space requirement.

Summary
The need for a long-lasting, cost-effective and effectively green solution for the distribution of milk is growing now more than ever. Tetra Paks are a multi-component packet designed to keep microbes, mass-produced using fresh plastic and aluminium. This complicated packaging process produces a ton of waste, exhausts many natural resources and cannot be accurately recycled. Here, glass bottles seem to be a viable alternative. But a regular production-consumer cycle with glass bottles cannot compete with cheaper options in the market. The process of production, manufacture and delivery of glass bottles complicates logistics and increases cost. Additionally, this still contributes to waste generation and disposal problems. The only solution moving forward is to opt for a closed loop recycling system that completely discards the need for packaging. We need a system that slows production of plastic debris and alleviates the pressure on our garbage disposal system. A combination of mechanical hands and daily reusability are a means to save our environment and secure our future for the better. From the above options, a Milk Vending Machine is the best option that benefits both processors and consumers as well as is in the best interest of the country.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Glass Milk Bottles

Many of us will still remember the days when we used to be able to purchase milk in glass bottles. In fact, that sound of the milk cart powering up the street and the clinking of bottles is synonymous with bygone decades. However, times have changed and plastic is now the preferred way to store milk. Despite this, glass milk bottles are experiencing something of a surge in popularity again. There are many reasons for this, from environmental concerns to nostalgia. Which is better? And which is less damaging to the environment? Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of glass milk bottles.

Why did Glass Milk Bottles almost disappear?

In the not too distant past, glass milk bottles almost disappeared. People once relied on bottles of milk delivered daily to their doorstep. At this time supermarkets had yet to corner the market or require mass production of milk to stock their shelves of convenience. Customers also enjoyed the freshest milk possible delivered straight to their door.

However, times change and so has consumer behaviour. In the 1980s, around 90% of the milk consumed in the UK was delivered in glass bottles. Just a few years ago this stood at 3%. It looked as though doorstep delivery was dead with the glass milk bottle suffering a similar fate.

There are two reasons for this.
The first being the supermarkets. For years they have squeezed down prices paid to farmers and manufacturers whilst increasing mass production to satisfy our weekly shops. To ensure they were able to sell milk as competitively as possible cheaper to produce plastic bottles became the norm4

Supermarkets, Stop the Gouging - Milk Prices Should Tumble $1. The University of Connecticut. 10.22004/ag.econ.169455

They were also lighter and suffered from fewer breakages making them perfect for the high volumes of milk sales supermarkets began to enjoy.
The second and related reason being shifting buying habits. As more people shopped at supermarkets for their weekly needs milk delivery services began to experience less custom. Our busy lives have led to more convenience shopping at all hours of day and night. The idea of always remembering to put out old glass milk bottles and collect fresh ones at a set time each day for many is no longer actually convenient.

Subsequently, many milk delivery services were no longer economically viable. As a result in the UK the then biggest glass milk bottling plant, owned by Dairy Crest, faced closure due to the growing consumer preference for plastic bottles.

Something of a resurgence

Fortunately, in 2015, Müller, a competing dairy company, decided to invest and with that came growth in Milk & More, a modern milk delivery service where consumers can place their orders online. Further, the service also offers other groceries such as butter and eggs. It has now become the largest milk delivery service in the UK.

A similar service exists in the US called ‘Drink Milk in Glass Bottles’. Another example of a service in resurgence that had started to disappear.

Office deliveries have also become a growth area. Due to higher volumes and higher concentrations of offices in any one area services can deliver more profitably. As such, today we can see more office fridges stocked with glass milk bottles.

So whereas most of us still buy our milk in plastic bottles from the supermarket options for glass bottles still do exist. With this in mind, are they better than plastic?

The Advantages of Glass Milk Bottles

Reusable
The biggest advantage of glass milk bottles is that once we’ve consumed their contents they get returned for reuse. Once returned glass milk bottles are washed and refilled and sent back out to consumers full of fresh milk. Whereas there are transport considerations to take into account, avoiding the production of a new plastic bottle for every milk purchase is a win for glass.

Require Less Energy Per Use
When it comes to whether glass or plastic bottles are better we actually have quite a lot to consider. Glass typically takes twice as much energy to produce and therefore during production can actually generate more C02 than plastic when compared by weight.

However, this is just at manufacture, if you average out the additional energy requirements across the lifecycle of a glass milk bottle which gets used again and again the winner is glass over plastic every time.

Glass is Recycled More
The Container Recycling Institute has found that plastic bottles are recycled at a rate of 29%. In comparison to this, glass has a recycling rate of 37%.
Further, as far as plastic goes, there are many vagaries when it comes to recycling5

W. Mack, "Recycling Plastics: The Problems and Potential Solutions," in Disposal of Plastics with Minimum Environmental Impact, ed. H. Mackinney (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, 1973),

Different types of plastic waste can vary in their recycling. Whereas most curbside collections do take plastic milk bottles, what happens once collected can vary considerably due to the capacity and ability for them to be processed once collected.

What’s more, despite many doing their best, a great deal of the single-use plastic we use ends up in nature. Plastic that enters the sea or landfill will take hundreds of years to break down1
Ioakeimidis, C., Fotopoulou, K., Karapanagioti, H. et al. The degradation potential of PET bottles in the marine environment: An ATR-FTIR based approach. Sci Rep 6, 23501

Glass, on the other hand, has more of a conscious element to it. Glass breaks easily when thrown away and is heavier, both of which people are aware of. As such, consumers seem more likely to carefully recycle a glass bottle than a plastic bottle6

Robert Ball, Shirley M. Lawson, Public attitudes towards glass recycling in Scotland, Waste Management & Research, Volume 8, Issue 3, 1990, Pages 177-192, ISSN 0734-242X, https://doi.org/10.1016/0734-242X(90)90062-R

Meanwhile, glass milk bottles not sent back for refill and at the end of their useful life are 100% recyclable and we can recycle them over and over again. What’s more, glass has a quick turnaround when it is recycled. Once consumers recycle it, it can be reused again within 30 days.
Better still, recycling glass produces less CO2 emissions and consumes less energy than new plastic3

Andreas Schmitz, Jacek Kamiński, Bianca Maria Scalet, Antonio Soria, Energy consumption and CO2 emissions of the European glass industry, Energy Policy, Volume 39, Issue 1, 2011,
This is largely down to the polluting resources required to produce new plastic and that plastic recycling requires more complexity and processing and accordingly higher energy use.

Safer
When it comes to storing and consuming milk, glass milk bottles are safer. Plastic milk bottles come with a number of risks including chemical leaching. Environmental and health hazards of chemicals in plastic polymers and products. Lithner, Delilah. University of Gothenburg, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
This means that chemicals can leak into the milk and pose health risks.

Glass milk bottles do not come with the same health concerns. We make glass with natural materials such as sand and limestone. What’s more, it is the only packaging that the FDA classes as fully safe.
Due to its natural composition, glass is chemically inert. This means that it does not consist of reactive chemicals.

Easier to Use
Let’s face it, consumers love simplicity. Plastic milk bottles can leak from the lid when squeezed. We’ve probably all suffered a leaky plastic bottle from time to time.
Whereas a glass bottle retains the same shape and won’t leak when crushed at the bottom of a supermarket bag under heavier items. They’re also more robust and sturdy to hold, of course, you do need to keep them upright.

The disadvantages of Glass Milk Bottles

Glass Bottles Are Fragile
We all know just how flexible plastic bottles are. While glass is undoubtedly strong and has the ability to safely store content, it is also fragile. Any kind of impact can cause the glass to break and this instantly means that it is useless. What’s more, it means that the contents will also go to waste

Glass is also susceptible to sharp changes in temperature. Therefore, a glass milk bottle left on a doorstep can shatter once it is met with warm temperatures.

Heavier
When we compared to the thin plastic milk bottles we have become accustomed to, there is no doubt glass is heavier. As a result, its weight adds to the cost of transportation. Also, it means that consumers will have to pay the price as well as the environment due to the emissions from transporting the bottles.

In this respect, alternative containers such as cardboard or even plastic are a more favourable option. In some instances, manufacturers have attempted to use thinner glass. However, this brings with it a range of other issues.

Glass Can Be Unsafe
A simple accident can cause the glass to shatter and break. This makes it more dangerous than plastic. With shattered glass comes the risk of cuts and what’s more, the broken pieces can also find their way into other bottles if damaged during the manufacturing process.
At any time during the entire process, from manufacturing bottles to filling them to transporting them and even handling by consumers, the glass can pose a safety risk.

Diminishing Freshness
Of course, having a milk delivery will ensure that the milk is as fresh as possible. However, traditional glass milk bottles come with foil tops. Exposure to air can reduce the shelf life of milk once a seal gets broken. Plastic bottles can come with lids that we can re-seal. This ensures the milk can remain as fresh as possible.

It is possible to put lids on glass bottles. However, this would require the use of other materials and that can have a cost implication as well as an implication on the environment if the lid is made of plastic.

Further, the wholly transparent nature of most glass milk bottles can result in the degradation of milk when exposed to light. The slightly translucent plastic alternatives offer a slight advantage here. Of course, it’s not too much a problem as most of us safely store our milk in the dark of the refrigerator.

Will We Keep Seeing a Resurgence in Glass Milk Bottles?

Will we see more trucks like these on our streets delivering glass milk bottles? Photo Credit: Johnny Huges on Flickr CC-BY-2.0
With the advantages and disadvantages clear to see, we have asked whether glass is a feasible option for transporting and storing milk?

The environmental advantages outweigh the disadvantages which is certainly a positive thing. What’s more, the resurgence in the use of glass milk bottles proves that people are now thinking and buying in a more environmentally conscious way.

More and more of us no longer want to purchase milk in plastic bottles. As we increasingly look to alternatives to plastic we’re likely to see more glass used. Therefore, it should only be seen as a good thing that glass milk bottles are making a comeback.

All the same, until supermarkets can find a way to produce, transport and reuse glass milk bottles cost-effectively plastic will continue to be their de facto choice. The more of us that switch to glass the more likely it is they’ll look to proactively move away from plastic

From being kinder to the environment to reducing plastic waste and even being kinder to our bodies, glass bottles seem to be a better choice all round

Further Inspiration:

Run a Local Beach Cleanup Event
Environmental Impact of Plastic Straws
Bamboo Versus Plastic: Is Bamboo Really More Eco-Friendly?/li>
Turning Plastic Waste Into Clothes
Say No To Plastic Bottles
Ban the Bag – Banning Single Use Plastic Bags

Sources & References:
Description

Ioakimidis, C., Fotopoulou, K., Karapanagioti, H. et al. The degradation potential of PET bottles in the marine environment: An ATR-FTIR based approach. Sci Rep 6, 23501 (2016).
Environmental and health hazards of chemicals in plastic polymers and products. Lithner, Delilah. University of Gothenburg, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Andreas Schmitz, Jacek Kamiński, Bianca Maria Scalet, Antonio Soria, Energy consumption and CO2 emissions of the European glass industry, Energy Policy, Volume 39, Issue 1, 2011, Pages 142-155, ISSN 0301-4215,
Supermarkets, Stop the Gouging – Milk Prices Should Tumble $1. The University of Connecticut. 10.22004/ag.econ.169455
W. Mack, “Recycling Plastics: The Problems and Potential Solutions,” in Disposal of Plastics with Minimum Environmental Impact, ed. H. Mackinney (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, 1973), 3-16.
Robert Ball, Shirley M. Lawson, Public attitudes towards glass recycling in Scotland, Waste Management & Research, Volume 8, Issue 3, 1990, Pages 177-192, ISSN 0734-242X,

This article Advantages and Disadvantages of Glass Milk Bottles was originally published on TRVST and reused with the permission of the publisher.

14 Important Practices for Dairies in COVID-19 Environment

Today I am going to tell you 14 points about covid19 related to dairy business through this video.

Taking these 14 points in consideration you can run your business smoothly and help the country.

Milk is a dairy necessity of every household which should necessarily reach every house daily from which your dairies will keep running and milk will reach households.

As you all know milk is an essential commodity for each of us because of which even the government has also allowed dairies to run their business normally. And all people involved in the dairy business collectively are taking care of dairy milk consumption.

People in the dairy business are doing their best efforts in collection processing and delivery of milk and milk products.

First and foremost I would like to pray for each and every person involved in dairies to be safe and even all the dairies taking all needed steps to safeguard their staff and the people are kept safe from this pandemic.

All those who are involved in the dairy business are in regular contact with the governments and customers to make sure that milk is supplied to each and every household regularly.

One more important message which I would like to give you is COVID19 has nothing to do with milk, if milk is pasteurized then there is no danger of falling ill for anyone.

I am sharing these 14 points only to make sure that our dairy business stays fit, always keeps running in a sound manner and milk keeps on reaching everyone.

If you like this video then please like, share with all other dairy related people and comment.

Hygiene – We should take care of dairy farms, daily plants, collection centers, retail shops should be absolutely clean and hygienic. For the workers, in all working areas there should be hand wash soap, hand sanitizer available to them in each and every area. The senior management should take care that their staff is well trained and well equipped in taking care of cleanliness and hygienic conditions of the premises.
Social Distancing – All the workers, staff management should maintain a distance of at least 1 meter from each other. If not necessary then no one should go close to each other, should not shake hands. Normally when we work together we hold each other’s hand and enjoy meals together but we will have to leave these habits.
All dairy staff should examine themselves daily, check their own temperature and take care of their own health. If someone feels like fever, throat infection or feels sick then the worker should not go to the dairy.
Crowded places in Dairies – There is a threat of COVID19 spread in places like reception areas, at milk collection centres, wherever there is a foot fall that place should be marked and should be announced as a red alert area. At that place marking by making circles or squares should be done to maintain social distancing so that people don’t come in contact with each other.
Internal meeting – If there is a need for a meeting with someone from outside or from someone in dairy then the place should be well ventilated and should be an open place.
Disinfection – As we all know we use disinfectants to disinfect all the pipes and stainless steel processing machinery in our dairies but under COVID19 circumstances we will have to majority disinfect each and every part of dairy for which we will have to clean all the external parts of the machines where humans touch is possible such as all the doors the cold room, the processing machinery, Pasteurizers, Cream Separators, Homogenizers, Milk Cans where we touch for maintenance. Disinfection should be done twice a day.
Safety Gears – In dairy all the workers and visitors should come inside the dairy wearing safety gears, like mask, glasses, apron, cap, shoes, gloves, all body parts should be covered with safety gears. Safety gears should be mandatory to wear for all the persons who are working in the dairy or visiting.
Uniform – The clothes or uniform staff management or workers wear at the dairy should be washed daily so that there is no danger of COVID19 left in the premises.
Multitasking – We don’t know when we will have to fight with COVID19. It is a possibility that all workers are not available daily, for that we should train our staff for multitasking. If some of the staff is unable to come and perform the duties then the other worker trained in other work can perform the duties and dairy work does not get affected.
Visitor Record – You should note down details of every visitor who is visiting in the dairy, if anytime you have come to know that anyone is affected by CORONAVIRUS so that you could identify the person and take precautionary steps. So you should have all the records of visitors, dealers, customers, any other person who is coming inside the dairy premises.
SIngle Entry and Exit – If there are multiple gates at the dairy then all of them should be closed. There should be only one gate for entry and exit so that we can maintain a record of who all came inside and went out.
Finding Volunteers – By saying finding volunteers what we mean is to say if this pandemic spreads and there is scarcity of labour for that time we should train people who are interested. We can look out for volunteers from in our neighborhood, employee families, institutes and vocational colleges. They can help us in running the dairy smoothly.
Unity of Dairies – All the people involved in dairy business should help each other in various practices such as milk collection, processing distribution etc. We should take full use of each other’s resources and strength.
Inventory and maintenance – We should take note that in a time of need our dairy plant/ processing does not get affected by limited resources or the shortage of spare parts / materials. If your machine needs service for any technical problem you will get service pass for the engineer from the government as our government gives permission for essential services.
Leadership – Top management should come forward to ensure their leadership skills. I want to give an example of Mr. Sodi who is Managing Director of AMUL. He has given a statement in the newspaper that we will not let there be any scarcity of milk. In a similar way we should come forward and encourage all dairy personals to show and do hard work and not let this pandemic create a scarcity of milk.

I hope above 14 points will be essential to spread it to your teams and dairies for running the dairy business in COVID-19 environment.

I request you all to share this information with your employees, partners, dairy owners so that they have this information on how we can overcome this pandemic situation in dairies.
JAI HIND

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT IN HINDI

Free Milk Standardization Calculation Tool

STANDARDIZATION OF MILK FAT

Standardization of the composition of milk constituents is an important process meant either for market purpose or for manufacturing milk products.. Standardizing milk might require control of only one component (usually fat) while allowing the others to vary or control two or more components simultaneously.

Standardization of Milk may be defined as the adjustment of one or more of the milk constituents to a nominated level. In the market milk industry, this normally involves reducing the butterfat content by addition of skim milk or through the removal of cream.

Objectives of Standardization:

To comply with the legal requirements for particular milk/dairy products.
To provide the consumer with a uniform product.
To ensure economics in production.

In a multi-product factory, where one requires standardization for different products, and the Dairy has the availability of Whole Milk, Skimmed Milk and Cream standardization of milk fat in Whole Milk can be easily done by:

A. Addition of Skimmed milk if the fat content is to be lowered or

B. Addition of Cream if the fat content is to be increased.

However in a small, single product plant requiring standardized milk only for Market Milk and which has only Whole Milk available with, the standardization involves either removal of fat as cream or production of skimmed milk/ partially skimmed milk. While cream can be used for other by products like cTable Cream, Butter or Ghee, Skimmed Milk is either sold as Pasteurized Skimmed milk or may be used for Casein or cottage cheese or low fat paneer.ses

Methods of Calculation for Standardization: We shall discuss here standardization required for such small Dairy Farmer/ Processor. And provide a tool to standardize the whole milk available. Method use for the purpose is called “Pearson's Square Method”.
We have developed a free tool to standardize the milk defined as below: You can submit your request in below mentioned Link:

Click here to submit your request

In this tool there are 2 options given of many permutations and combinations which are generally required for small and medium dairy processors and farmers:

1. You may be having High Fat (Mixed/ Buffalo Milk) and want to standardize it as Low Fat Milk either for pasteurizing and market or for manufacturing some product like curd, paneer, flavoured milk etc. And in the process shall also obtain Dairy Cream. Cream obtained can be used for ghee manufacturing or sold as such to bakeries.
2. You may be having Low Fat Milk (Cow Milk) and want to standardize it to High Fat Milk like Full Cream Pasteurized Milk for market or for manufacturing products with high fat.

Our Standardization Tool which is just a click away, shall help you in the above cases. You only need to fill the required information in the Form provided at the link. All it takes is just 2 minutes and you get an instant response on your maiI.

“Output of standard Milk with desired Fat% shall be ‘X’ Kgs and Output of Cream with ‘F%’ Fat shall be “Y” Kgs” or “Output of standard Milk with desired Fat% shall be ‘X’ Kgs Output of Skimmed Milk/Low Fat Milk with ‘F%’ Fat shall be “Y” Kgs”

Do try out this tool and if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

With Regards,
Amardeep Singh Chadha
Director
Chadha Sales Private Limited
Ph: +91-11-23922290/23920100 m: +91-9811158363
Address: 137 Rajendra Market, Tiz Hazari, New Delhi-110054, India
W: www.chadhasales.com E: chadhasales1@gmail.com

Free Level Measurement Tool in Bulk Milk Cooling Tanks through Dipsticks

Dipsticks offer a simple means of measuring the approximate quantity of liquid in any vessel. The ordinary dipstick is the most practical device available.

It is a metal flat or rod, in stainless steel SS-304 for dairy applications, on which a graduated scale is etched, as shown below:

The dipstick is fixed at a convenient location in the Milk Cooling Tank. It measures the level of milk present in the tank. The level measurement is done by taking it out of the tank, wiping it with a clean cloth, reinserting and taking it out. . Check the graduated mark wetted by the milk and read the below mentioned chart for corresponding quantity of milk in liters:

Most commonly this method is used to check the remaining amount of milk in Milk Cooling Tanks, Milk Storage tanks, Milk Vessels etc.

Procedure for calibration and making Dip Scale Chart:
When the cooling tank is installed we fill-up with the water at different levels and note the readings of mm in the scale with the corresponding reading of measured quantity of milk in liters, poured inside the tank and make a note of the same.

For Example: If we have 2000 Ltr Cooling Tank we will prepare Chart manually as under:

Once you have this data then it has to be proportionately divided to make a detailed Calibrated Dip Chart for daily measurement of milk quantity at site.

We at Chadha Sales have prepared an automatic calibrated dip chart once you have above reading you can make the calibration chart with the click of a button.

The procedure is explained below:
Once you have basic readings as shown above then go to the link: bit.ly/dipchart a form will be opened where you will put all information to create a free dip chart for yourself.

Put the basic information as mentioned in the form:

Thereafter you will put readings of the mm first and there after Ltrs. note you will have equal number of readings in mm and litre. Standard dip charts can be made from maximum 25 readings. However, even if you have less numbers of readings, say, for example only 13 readings in total, you shall enter only 13 readings of mm and litres and the rest of the readings shall be left blank.

Once the form is filled, you shall enter the submit button. An email shall be sent to you by Chadha Sales along with a detailed Calibrated Dip Cart corresponding to the readings submitted by you.

Hope you would take advantage of this tool and we shall be happy to hear from you, if you require any other information.

Raw Milk – Do Its Benefits Outweigh the Dangers?

RAW MILK - DO ITS BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE DANGERS?

INTRODUCTION
Milk is a nutritious food that provides protein, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. Prior to the introduction of pasteurization in the early- to mid-1900s, all milk was consumed raw in its natural, unprocessed state.

With the growing popularity of natural, local, farm-sourced foods and the perception that raw milk is healthier, its consumption is increasing. Raw milk advocates argue that it has superior health and nutritional benefits and that pasteurization eliminates these advantages.

However, government and health experts disagree and advise against consuming it. There are restrictions and regulations in many countries on sale of raw milk. In this article we shall have a look at the benefits of consuming raw milk, why pasteurization and legal provisions are world over.

What Is Raw Milk?

The milk which has not been subjected to any heat treatment like pasteurization or boiling or UHT to destroy all the pathogen bacteria is Raw milk. Primarily it is fresh milk, as obtained from the udder of a healthy milch animal, mainly cows or buffaloes but also goats, sheep, camels or yaks.

Raw Milk may be consumed directly or used to make a variety of products, including khoa, curd, cottage cheese and ice cream. In India, the co-operatives and private dairies have access to only 20% of the milk produced. Approximately, 34% of the milk is sold in the unorganized market while 46% is consumed locally.

The Pasteurization Process

Pasteurization involves heating the milk to kill bacteria, yeasts and molds. The process also increases the product’s shelf life.

The most common method of pasteurization involves heating raw milk to at least 72°C for a minimum of 15 seconds. This is called as High temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization of milk. However, traditionally a batch process was used wherein milk was heated to minimum 62 deg C for 30 min. It is called Low temp long time (LTLT). Good quality pasteurized milk can last for 2-3 weeks under refrigeration.

For a long life of milk, even Ultra-heat treatment (UHT) wherein milk is heated 138°C for at least 2 seconds. With aseptic packing, UHT milk can last up to 9 months till opened for consumption and does not require any refrigeration till opened.

Pasteurized milk is often also homogenized, a process of applying extreme pressure to disperse the fatty acids more evenly, improving appearance and taste.

BENEFITS OF RAW MILK

Raw milk advocates argue that it’s a complete, natural food containing more amino acids, antimicrobials, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids than pasteurized milk.
They also claim that it’s a better choice for those with lactose intolerance, asthma, autoimmune and allergic conditions./li>
Pasteurization was first introduced in response to an epidemic of bovine (cow) tuberculosis in the US and Europe in the early 1900s. An estimated 65,000 people died over a 25-year period from contaminated dairy. But advocates of Raw Milk argue that it is the lack of clean milk production which leads to milk contamination and hence disease.
They claim that the heating process during pasteurization reduces the overall nutrition and health benefits of milk.

However, most of these claims are not backed up by science and are beliefs only and is argued by those favouring pasteurization

Claim 1: Pasteurized Milk Has Fewer Nutrients

Pasteurizing milk does not result in a significant loss of vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals or fats. Studies have found only minor losses of the water-soluble vitamins B1, B6, B9, B12 and C. Considering the already low levels of these nutrients in milk, these losses were insignificant And these minor losses are easily made up elsewhere in your diet, as these vitamins are widespread and found in many fruits, vegetables, whole grains and — in the case of vitamin B12 — animal proteins.
Levels of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K also minimally decrease during pasteurization
Calcium and phosphorus which are important minerals for healthy bones and metabolism are very heat stable are also not lost

Claim 2: Pasteurizing Milk Reduces Fatty Acids

Studies have found no significant differences in the fatty acid profiles of raw and pasteurized milk, though pasteurization may increase the digestibility of fatty acids.
No significant differences in major nutrients or fatty acids have been observed in studies conducted with raw, pasteurized and UHT-treated milk from different samples in the same dairy .

Claim 3: Pasteurizing Milk Destroys Proteins

About 80% of milk protein is casein, while the remaining 20% is whey. These may help muscle growth, improve insulin resistance and lower heart disease risk. Pasteurizing milk does not reduce casein levels, as this type of protein is heat stable.
Some loss of whey protein may occur as they get denatured during prolonged heating but not at pasteurization temperature during a short time. Pasteurization appears to have minimal impact on its digestibility and nutritional composition.
One study in 25 healthy people drinking either raw, pasteurized or UHT milk for a week found that the proteins from pasteurized milk had the same biological activity in the body as raw milk proteins.

Claim 4: Raw Milk Protects Against Allergies and Asthma

Raw milk has been associated with a reduced risk of childhood asthma, eczema and allergies. However, studies show only an associated risk reduction, not necessarily a direct correlation.
Increased exposure to microbes within farming environments has also been associated with a reduced risk of asthma and allergies, which may account for some of these results.

Claim 5: Raw Milk Is Better for People With Lactose Intolerance

Lactose is a milk sugar. It’s digested by the enzyme lactase, which is produced in your small intestines. Some people don’t make enough lactase, leaving undigested lactose to ferment in the bowel. This causes abdominal bloating, cramps and diarrhea.Raw and pasteurized milk contain similar amounts of lactose. However, raw milk contains the lactase-producing bacteria Lactobacillus, which is destroyed during pasteurization. This should, theoretically, improve lactose digestion in raw milk drinkers.
However, in a blind study, 16 adults with self-reported lactose intolerance drank raw, pasteurized or soy milk for three 8-day periods in randomized order, separated by 1-week washout periods. No differences were found in digestive symptoms between raw and pasteurized milk..

Claim 6: Raw Milk Contains More Antimicrobials

Milk is rich in antimicrobials, including lactoferrin, immunoglobulin, lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, bacteriocins, oligosaccharides and xanthine oxidase. They help control harmful microbes and delay milk spoilage. Their activity is reduced when milk is refrigerated, regardless of whether it’s raw or pasteurized.
Pasteurizing milk reduces lactoperoxidase activity by around 30%. However, other antimicrobials remain mostly unchanged.

SUMMARY: Claims that raw milk is more nutritious than pasteurized milk and a better choice for those with Lactose Intolerance, Asthma, autoimmune and Allergic conditions have shown to have little or new truth.

DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH DRINKING RAW MILK

Due to its neutral pH and high nutritional and water contents, milk is an ideal feeding ground for bacteria.
Milk essentially comes from a sterile environment within the animal. From the moment the animal is milked, the potential for contamination begins with the udder, skin, feces, milking equipment, handling and storage .Contaminations are not visible to the naked eye and are often not detectable until growth is significant
The majority — but not necessarily all — bacteria are destroyed during pasteurization. The ones that survive, mostly do so in a damaged, non-viable form.
Studies show that raw milk contains significantly higher quantities of harmful and introduced bacteria (from contaminations from different sources)than pasteurized milk.
Keeping milk refrigerated helps suppress bacterial growth, no matter if it’s raw or pasteurized.

Bacteria and Symptoms

Harmful bacteria that may be present in milk include Campylobacter, Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E.coli), Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Symptoms of infection are comparable to those of other foodborne illnesses and include vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, headaches, abdominal pain, nausea and fever .
These bacteria can also cause serious conditions, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome, miscarriage, reactive arthritis, chronic inflammatory conditions and, rarely, death.
Any person consuming milk contaminated with these bacteria is susceptible but the risk is higher for pregnant women, children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems.
More recent data has shown that raw milk or cheese causes 840 times more illnesses and 45 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized dairy..
Currently, many countries ban raw milk for human consumption, including Australia, Canada and Scotland. It’s prohibited in 20 American states, while other states restrict its sales. In addition, it cannot be sold across American state lines.

However, the number of outbreaks is increasing, especially in states that have legalized its sale

SUMMARY Raw milk can contain harmful bacteria that may lead to serious illness, particularly in pregnant women, children, older adults, and immunocompromised people. Infections are more frequent and severe than those caused by pasteurized sources.

The Bottom Line
Raw and pasteurized milk are comparable in their nutrient contents. While raw milk is more natural and may contain more antimicrobials, its many health claims aren't evidence-based and don’t outweigh potential risks like severe infections caused by harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria.

Get up-to 5% Higher Yield During Ghee & Butter Oil Processing through CENTRIFUGAL SERUM SEPARATORS

SERUM is the water phase obtained during pre-stratification of melted butter during the manufacturing of Ghee/Butter Oil. Serum Separator helps in recovering valuable milk fat from the Serum. Chadha Sales Pvt. Ltd. offers Serum Separator in three capacities as per your requirements. Serum separators is a Solid Bowl Centrifugal Separator with large peripheral bowl space for the collection of solid waste/ curd.

Available in three capacity: 1000 LPH, Model: SR AEO-1
3000 LPH, Model: SR AEO-3
5000 LPH, Model: SR AEO-5

Important to pre-filter the Serum prior to feeding into Serum Separator at an optimum temperature range of 55-65 deg C.

Chadha Sales Pvt. Ltd. offers you the complete system consisting of Feed Tank, Duplex Pre-Filter, Centrifugal Feed Pump and necessary Pipes & Fittings along with the Serum Separator.

Features of Serum Separators:

Solid Bowl Construction
All contacting parts are made of AISI-304
More space for the milk Solids
Dynamically balanced complete bowl assembly.
Discharge of recovered milk fat at the pressure

Benefits:

Recovery of valuable fat from Serum obtained after pre- stratification of melted butter during ghee or butter oil manufacturing.
Less load on drainage – drains don’t clog with fat
Less workload on Effluent Treatment Plant.
The concentration of fat, less heat energy required for ghee manufacturing.

Lakshmi Cream Separators Introduction Know about Online Cream Separator, Clarifier for Milk and Ghee

Are You Ready for the Plastic Pouch Ban?

January 01, 2019: Tamilnadu becomes the 4th state in India to implement a ban of single-use plastic. Starting with Maharashtra in March 2018, followed by Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and now Tamil Nadu, most Indian states are looking to eliminate plastic milk bags, showing that Plastic is finally on its way out. We are committed to offering eco-friendly milk distribution solutions in accordance with govt regulations. Our Milk Vending Machines, allows milk sellers to sell their milk by dispensing directly through our Machines, thereby doing away with plastic pouches.

Our Milk Vending Machines are available in two types – Stationary and Road Milk Vending, available in various capacities from 100 Ltrs. to 500 Ltrs. loading capacity.

We would like to share our success stories below of dairies using our Milk Vending Machine:

Video 1: The success story of our Road Milk Vending machine installed in Uttar Pradesh, covered by NEWS24 Channel. This concept is also famous by the name of “Milk ATM” (All Time Milk)

Video 2: The success story is about Stationery Milk Vending Machine installed in Maharashtra filmed by ABP News Channel. This concept is also famous by the name of “Milk ATM” (All Time Milk)

5 Common Reasons Why your Ghee Even Though Pure is Not of Premium Quality

Presence of fine residue
Poor colour & appearance
Development of rancidity
Poor Texture
Lower Shelf Life

Your Pure Ghee faces consumer rejection, fetches lower price and affects your profitability.

Worried? Is there any remedy?

Any residue left in the ghee will lead to the development of rancidity during storage of ghee on dealer shelves at ambient temperature. Residue presence may cause curdy flavour if undercooked. Storage at low temperature to avoid rancidity will make ghee & greasy. Vicious cycle. Solution lies in removing the cause. Can you remove residue by filtering thru Nylon Filter? Yes but only coarse residue. You need to remove the fine residue too which is possible only thru mechanical force, that is, centrifugation. Centrifugal Ghee Clarifier can help you remove the fine residue which is not removed by settling or cloth filtration. Ghee clarification will not only remove the fine residue but will also improve the colour & appearance. Storage of clarified ghee at ambient temperature, free from any residue, shall preserve the grainy texture. No storage at low temperature required. Prolonged shelf life at ambient temperature. The consumer is happy with the quality. More sales, less rejection, premium price and more profits.

Chadha Sales have a wide range of Ghee Clarifier from 150 LPH to 2000 LPH capacity. Choose the right capacity or contact us for further details.

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