The Nutritional Value of Cow's and Buffalo's Milk

Cow's Milk Processing

The journey of cow's milk from farm to the table involves several carefully controlled steps to ensure safety, quality, and nutritional integrity. The process begins with milking, typically using automated systems to maintain hygiene and efficiency. Once collected, the raw milk is quickly cooled to prevent bacterial growth and preserve its freshness.

Pasteurisation is the first critical step, involving heating the milk to a specific temperature for a set period to eliminate harmful bacteria and extend shelf life. Two common methods are:

1. High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) pasteurisation:

Milk is heated to 71.7°C for at least 15 seconds.

2. Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) processing:

Milk is heated to 135°C for 1-8 seconds.

Both methods effectively kill pathogens while preserving the milk's nutritional value, including its valuable milk protein content.

After pasteurisation, cow's milk typically undergoes homogenisation, breaking down fat globules into smaller, uniform particles that remain suspended in the milk. This creates a consistent texture and appearance throughout the milk.

Standardisation may be employed to ensure consistent fat content across different milk varieties (whole, semi-skimmed, and skimmed). This involves separating cream from the milk and then recombining it in specific proportions to achieve the desired fat content while maintaining the nutrition in cow milk.

Buffalo's Milk Processing

Buffalo's milk processing shares similarities with cow's milk but has some unique aspects due to its distinct composition. The process begins with collection and rapid cooling to around 4°C to inhibit bacterial growth and maintain quality.

Buffalo milk undergoes thorough filtration to remove any physical impurities, which is particularly important due to its thicker consistency compared to cow's milk.

Pasteurisation of buffalo milk follows similar principles to that of cow's milk, but the temperatures and times may be adjusted due to its different composition. Common methods include:

1. Batch pasteurisation:

Heating the milk between 62.8°C and 65.6°C for 30 minutes.

2. HTST method:

Heating to 71.7°C for 15-20 seconds.

Homogenisation is particularly important for buffalo milk due to its higher fat content. This process breaks down the larger fat globules, preventing cream separation and ensuring a smooth, consistent texture.

Buffalo milk is often standardised to adjust its fat content, allowing for the production of various milk products with different fat levels while maintaining the milk's rich nutritional profile, including its high-quality buffalo milk protein.

Nutrition in Cow’s and Buffalo's Milk

Cow and buffalo milk are both very good sources of nutrition, as they provide all the essential nutrients that perform various body functions. Although both varieties of milk have almost the same nutritional profile, there are a few differences.

• Milk protein is one of the most significant nutritional components in both types of milk. These proteins are higher in quality and complete as they contain all the essential amino acids required for human health. Cow's milk contains approximately 3.2-3.5% protein, while buffalo milk has a higher protein content, typically around 4-4.5%.

• The fat content differs between cow's and buffalo's milk. Cow's milk usually contains 3.5-4% fat in whole milk varieties, while buffalo milk has a higher fat content, typically 6-12%. This higher fat content contributes to buffalo milk's creamier texture and richer taste.

• Both types of milk contain lactose as their primary carbohydrate, with cow's milk containing about 4.8-5% and buffalo milk slightly less at around 4.5%. Lactose supplies energy and promotes the absorption of calcium and other minerals.

• Milk is probably known by everyone for its high content of calcium, which is essential for bone health. Cow's milk provides about 120mg of calcium per 100ml, while buffalo milk contains higher levels, approximately 180-200mg per 100ml. Both varieties are rich in other essential minerals like phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

• Both cow's and buffalo's milk contain vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as B-complex vitamins. Buffalo milk generally has higher levels of most vitamins compared to cow's milk.