From the University Agenda

The scandal of adding water to milk is growing: Be suspicious if your milk turns blue color

Recently, scandals to add water to milk have been worrying consumers. Some producers who add water to milk due to commercial concerns both reduce the nutritional value of the milk and put public health at risk. So, how can we distinguish natural milk? Nurullah Zekeriya Akar, Food Engineer msc, explained the tricks and cheating methods of natural milk by giving critical warnings to consumers.

How to understand milk with full of water?

Adding water to milk is one of the most common tricks to reduce costs by increasing the volume of milk. According to Istanbul Gelisim University Lect. Nurullah Zekeriya Akar, it is possible to notice milk with added water sensory:
“Water-added milk gives off its color and taste. Natural milk is porcelain white and has a slightly sweet flavor. But the milk with added water turns a bluish tint and the taste eases. The dense and creamy structure in natural milk disappears when water is added.”

Such milk can be detected with certainty by laboratory tests, but a careful consumer can also distinguish fraudulent milk with some clues:
“When the natural milk is milked, a cream layer forms on its surface and proteins cause a significant foaming on the surface.
"If your milk turns blue, be suspicious"
Watered milk carries serious risks not only in terms of its decreasing nutritional value, but also in terms of public health. Milk diluted with water creates a favorable environment for the reproduction of microorganisms, and this poses a great threat, especially to children. Akar listed some points that consumers should pay attention to when buying milk:
Color: Natural milk is porcelain white. If the milk has a bluish hue, there is a high probability that water has been added.
Taste: Natural milk has a slightly sweet taste. The milk added to the water loses this density and leaves a lighter taste.
Cream Layer: Natural milk forms a cream layer on its surface. The cream layer may not be evident in watered milk.

Which milk is healthier?

In addition to adding water to milk, replacing milk fat with vegetable oils is a common trick. Stating that milk fat directly affects the flavor, nutritional value and consistency of milk, Akar said, "Natural milk fat can be detected by laboratory tests. But consumers can even be suspicious by noticing changes in the taste of dairy products.”
Akar also drew attention to the importance of fat ratio in milk preference:
Whole-fat Milk: It has a fat content of 3.5% and is especially recommended for children, teenagers and individuals of growing age.
Semi-Skimmed Milk: It has a fat content of 1.5-1.8% and is ideal for individuals who pay attention to heart health or for weight control.
Skimmed Milk: It has a fat content of 0.15%. However, it should be consumed with caution as it inhibits the absorption of some vitamins in milk fat.
 
“Read the label, make the right choice”

Akar advised consumers to read the label information and prefer reliable brands when buying milk, adding:
“When buying milk, pay attention to the brand and label information. Question the milk's fat content, its naturalness, and whether it has been processed. As consumers become more aware, fraudulent products in the market will decrease.”
According to Akar, choosing the right milk both improves the quality of nutrition and has significant effects on health in the long term. While natural milk supports the body with its nutrients, processed or fraudulent milk cannot provide these benefits. Therefore, it is of great importance for consumers to act consciously and question the reliability of the milk they buy.