Organic vs. Conventional Milk: Some Considerations on Fat-Soluble Vitamins and Iodine Content

Abstract

Abstract:The organic food market is considerably expanding all over the world, and the related dairy market represents its third most important sector. The reason lies in the fact that consumers tend to associate organic dairy products with positive perceptions: organic milk is eco-and animal-friendly, is not produced with antibiotics or hormones, and according to general opinion, provides additional nutrients and beneficial properties. These factors justify its higher cost. These are the reasons that explain extensive research into the comparison of the differences in the amount of chemical compounds between organic and conventional milk. However, it is not simple to ascertain the potential advantage of organic food from the nutritional point of view, because this aspect should be determined within the context of the total diet. Thus, considering all the factors described above, the purpose of this work is to compare the amount of selected nutrients (i.e., iodine and the fat-soluble vitamins such as alfa-tocopherol and beta-carotene) in organic and conventional milk, expressed as the percentage of recommended daily intakes in one serving. In detail, in order to establish the real share of these biologically active compounds to the total diet, their percent contribution was calculated using the Dietary Reference Values for adults (both men and women) adopted by the European Food Safety Authority. According to these preliminary considerations, the higher cost of organic milk can mainly be explained by the high costs of the management of specific farms and no remarkable or substantial benefits in human health can be ascribed to the consumption of organic milk. In this respect, this paper wants to make a small contribution to the estimation of the potential value and nutritional health benefits of organic food, even though further studies are needed.

Some challenges and opportunities for grazing dairy cows on temperate pastures

“…Furthermore, Manzi and Durazzo (2017) reported higher levels of fat-soluble vitamins (β-carotene and α-tocopherol) in pasture-based organic milk than conventional milk, which could further improve the "health" quality of the milk. However, the study reported that the differences, in terms of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)…”

“…Manzi and Durazzo (2017) also indicated a significant reduction in iodine content of pasture-based organic milk compared to conventionally produced milk where cows are given mineral mixtures and concentrates containing supplementary iodine and selenium (Se), which is involved in iodine metabolism. Manzi and Durazzo (2017) also indicated a significant reduction in iodine content of pasture-based organic milk compared to conventionally produced milk where cows are given mineral mixtures and concentrates containing supplementary iodine and selenium (Se), which is involved in iodine metabolism.…”

“…Population Reference Intakes (EFSA, 2017), were negligible at the level of standard milk servings. Manzi and Durazzo (2017) also indicated a significant reduction in iodine content of pasture-based organic milk compared to conventionally produced milk where cows are given mineral mixtures and concentrates containing supplementary iodine and selenium (Se), which is involved in iodine metabolism.…”

Organic versus Conventional Raw Cow Milk as Material for Processing

“…The key factor determining the profitability of dairy cow farms is their productivity. The influence of the feeding system on cows' milk yield has been demonstrated by many authors [2,27,28,[53][54][55][56][57][58][59]. In a comparison of organic and conventional systems by Bilik and Łopuszańska-Rusek [60], organic feeding of Red-and-White × Holstein-Friesian Red cows kept in natural conditions and having a lactation yield of about 7000 kg milk resulted in milk yield about 10% lower than that of cows fed conventionally (TMR) (6666.7 kg vs. 7353.4 kg).…”

“…Research by many authors [2,[26][27][28][50][51][52][53][54] indicates that the specific environmental conditions (mainly feed type and quality) on a farm focused on milk production affect the quality of raw milk, and consequently, dairy products.…”