Milk In Thailand

[jayenram]

Is it my imagination or does milk keep much longer in the fridge here than it does in UK? A friend once told me that it's because the so called 'fresh' milk here is actually made up from powdered milk.

Edited July 15, 2005 by jayenram

[Thetyim]

The milk here is very "watery"

You cannot make cream or cheese from thai milk

I think this may have something to do with it.

[buadhai]

What kind of milk are you talking about? The UHT milk or the 'fresh' milk?

[RamdomChances]

"fresh"and UHT milk is made from fresh milk, not powdered. Personaly I dont think"fresh (pasturised) keeps very well. I dont think the milk here is watery, to make cream cheese or butter you have to seperate full fat milk and used the fatty part (not and expert on this though) Did'nt think any bought in pasturised milk was any good for making butter or cheese.

If they could make "fresh" milk out of powdered I'd be out of bussines as you can buy bulk imported powdered milk cheaper in thailand than you can "fresh" milk. Thailand still imports around 50% of its dairy produce mainly as powderd milk from Austrailia.

[buadhai]

Foremost makes "fresh" milk from powder on Guam and sells it in the Pacific as fresh milk....

UHT milk lasts longer because it is sort of super-pasturized. All bacteria killed at very high temperature. It will last a very long time in the fridge if not contaminated, say, by drinking direct from the carton.

[chownah]

The flavor of milk seems to be more variable here between brands....I've tried

Dutch Mill on many occasions and don't like it..to my taste Foremost and Maji are good.....UHT is alway unpleasant in my experience....my only use for milk is in my tea.

[Thomas_Merton]

The flavor of milk seems to be more variable here between brands....I've tried

Dutch Mill on many occasions and don't like it..to my taste Foremost and Maji are good.....UHT is alway unpleasant in my experience....my only use for milk is in my tea.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dairy farming is relatively new to Thailand, although several countries have been exporting their knowledge- there is a huge Danish (financed?) milk processing plant close to Suwankolok.

I would suggest that what we can buy is possibly more related to demand than actual availability. We, with this huge supplier just down the road, despite our relative isolation, have no difficulties in purchasing almost as many types of milk as was available in Scandinavia.

There is an interesting report on dairy farming in Thailand here (pdf format)

Edited July 15, 2005 by Thomas_Merton

[lopburi3]

Foremost makes "fresh" milk from powder on Guam and sells it in the Pacific as fresh milk....

UHT milk lasts longer because it is sort of super-pasturized. All bacteria killed at very high temperature. It will last a very long time in the fridge if not contaminated, say, by drinking direct from the carton.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Foremost was a military contractor throughout the Far East (and probably elsewhere) that recombined powered milk to local US Military bases for many years. Many years ago the use of the name Foremost was bought by its present owners (in Thailand). I also think it is the best tasting low fat milk for the morning cereal.

Foremost Friesland (thailand) Pub Co Ltd Profile 

Home > Food & Beverage > Dairy Producers > Foremost Friesland (thailand) Pub Co Ltd > Profile 

  Foremost Friesland (thailand) Pub Co Ltd

SAMSEN NAI, PHAYATHAI

6TH FLR., S.P. BLDG.,388 PAHOLYOTHIN RD.

BANGKOK 10400

THAILAND  +66 2 2730024/2730215-23

+66 2 2730214 

Foremost Friesland (Thailand) Public Company Limited manufactures and distributes dairy products within Thailand. The company's products include sweetened and unsweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, drinking yoghurt, UHT pasteurised milk and infant feeding products. These products are sold under brandnames such as Ship, Alaska, Falcon, Foremost, Kitty, Yo-Most and Frisolac. 

Foremost Friesland (thailand) Pub Co Ltd People:

Chairman - ANAT ARBHABHIRAMA

Managing Director - ARNOLD NOORDUIJN

Finance Director - PRANEE YOOSAMRAN

[The_Other_Mac]

I've also been told that the milk here is watered - water added to fresh (not powdered) milk. If you look at a carton of Foremost unsweetened unskimmed, it still clearly says on the front "Produced from milk". Where I come from, that means that it's NOT actually milk. (Although the ingredients then say "100% cow's milk".)

Mind you, I come from Ireland. I think our milk is a little richer than most places, and we take it very seriously. It's the tea, you see. Ah go on....

[RamdomChances]

Just a correction to an earlier post UHT can be made from powdered or re-combined milk.

Thomas that link is well out of date try this one

http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?...7E/ac797e00.htm

Also has beef, pigs, chicken ect

Another essential issue for milk industry is the definition of ‘Fresh Milk’ being used in milk industry by Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which needs to be modified. This is because it poses as major barrier for some product group such as sterilized milk products. As the price of raw milk in Thailand is higher than powder

milk, skimmed milk product, etc. particularly the imported goods from oversea;

therefore, some producers have mixed or solely used it instead of raw milk to reap

greater profit while the consumers rarely know about this issue.

Source http://www.thailandoutlook.com/thailandout...oad/FTA/FTA.pdf

its a pfd file about the free trade agreement between Aus and Thailand

I dont think the milk is watered here but its probably of a lower fat content than in europen countries.

I actually prefer Chock Chai, and Nestle milk although we sell all ours to Mali

[baht&sold]

Random Chances, since you're in the field (so to speak;) are there any dairy farms using imported dairy cows here? I would think there'd be a market? Sure miss a great glass of top quality moo milk! (I'm a quart a day man myself, 1% fat content preferrably;)

Eg: Quoted from:

http://www.kangguru.org/ausaidprojects/september2004.htm

See also:

http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2004/s1076893.htm

West Australian cows migrate to the Greenfields of Indonesia:

Western Australian dairy cows are part of the foundation herd of the Greenfields dairy at Gunung Kawi, East Java. The dairy houses over 1000 cows and milks over 800 each day in a 'state of the art' dairy.

The milk is processed on-site into UHT and extended life packaging. It is now the premium milk brand for the middle to upper class market in major cities in Indonesia. The whole operation is certified to international standards and also exports its products to Singapore. Western Australian dairy heifers are also purchased by smaller local dairy cooperatives who still use traditional methods of feeding and milking their cows.

[Thetyim]

Ramdom,

Just to clarify what I wrote earlier because I did not explain clearly.

The milk straight from the cow is very watery, it has a very low fat content compared to UK milk.

There is a small herd near where I live and as they looked just like Uk cows I asked to try the "full fat" milk.

It tasted less rich than a pint from the doorstep back in Blighty.

[Thomas_Merton]

Just a correction to an earlier post UHT can be made from powdered or re-combined milk.

Thomas that link is well out of date try this one

http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?...7E/ac797e00.htm

Also has beef, pigs, chicken ect

No problem - my link was only to illustrate the involvement of the Danish milk industry in development of the Thai industry.

[RamdomChances]

Random Chances, since you're in the field (so to speak;) are there any dairy farms using imported dairy cows here?

Not really imported no, most are Holstein/crosses although I have a lot that are obviously Jersy/crosses they are basicaly crosses with "thai" cattle to give them better resistance to the temperature, parasites ect. The routes of the dairy industry here go back to the 60's with a donation of a herd by the Danish Royal Family to the King of Thailand.. hence the Thaidanish connection. Chock Chai has actualy bread their own breed of cattle the Chock Chai Friesian. Basicaly the higher persentage of Holstein/Friesian blood the higher the milk yield but they will be more suseptible to the heat, parisites and more difficult to breed.

We get quality checks on our milk so they have to reach certain minimum fat and protien levels and have below a certian level of bacteria (STC) If we are outside this initialy we will drop down a grade but after a certian level they will just not buy from us. 1% fat sounds really low I think we have to be about 3.5% but cant remember off the top of my head.

Just to clarify what I wrote earlier because I did not explain clearly.

The milk straight from the cow is very watery, it has a very low fat content compared to UK milk.

There is a small herd near where I live and as they looked just like Uk cows I asked to try the "full fat" milk.

It tasted less rich than a pint from the doorstep back in Blighty.

Thetyim it could be for a number of reasons, most probably the diet, bagged food is expensive so many dairy farmers try to scrimp on it this gives a lower fat and protien content. I would'nt really advise drinking "fresh" unpasturised milk here as there is a very high incadence of Mastitis and a lot of farms dont really follow very good milking practises. I always drink semi-skimmed if I can anyway so dont really notice that much differance.

The dairy farming industry (not the bottling plants) is IMO going to change quite a bit over the next few years, most small farms(10-15 head) will I feel go to the wall and you will see a lot of bigger more profesionaly run farms filling the gaps. All dairy farms have to comply with Gov standerds by the end of next year (I think) this in it's self will force a lot of small scale farmers out of buisines.

[NamKAheng]

No it is not UHT that make that milk stay fresh longer this is fine-filtered milk.

Fine-filtered milk undergoes a special process called Microfiltration. Microfiltration is an innovative technology that was first commercially employed in fluid milk processing in Canada during the early 1990’s. This special process produces better tasting milk that stays fresher, longer. Today, Canadian milk processors are on the leading edge of employing microfiltration technology for fluid milk meaning that our milk is some of the best tasting and freshest milks anywhere.

Because milk is a natural product it contains bacteria that causes it to spoil after a relatively short period of time. That’s why milk has a "best before" date on the packaging. To maximize its freshness, fine-filtered milk undergoes the process of microfiltration. Here milk is forced through an incredibly fine filter that removes most of the bacteria that regular pasteurization can not. This specially designed filter allows all of the natural protein, vitamins and minerals to pass through ensuring that fine-filtered milk retains all of its original nutritional goodness.

After the microfiltration process the milk is then pasteurized and filled into sanitized packaging. Because over 99% of the natural bacteria is removed, microfiltered milk enjoys a richer, creamier taste that stays fresh longer than regular pasteurized milks.

By the way UHT milk have a very distintive taste because of the Ultra High Tempreture treatment so it can not be confuse with fresh milk.

[Totster]

I always buy the Dutch branded milk (blue cap), I've always thought it tastes great, not watery at all... but I do think it lasts longer than in UK... can't think why though..

totster

[chuchok]

"fresh"and UHT milk is made from fresh milk, not powdered. Personaly I dont think"fresh (pasturised) keeps very well. I dont think the milk here is watery, to make cream cheese or butter you have to seperate full fat milk and used the fatty part (not and expert on this though) Did'nt think any bought in pasturised milk was any good for making butter or cheese.

If they could make "fresh" milk out of powdered I'd be out of bussines as you can buy bulk imported powdered milk cheaper in thailand than you can "fresh" milk.  Thailand still imports around 50% of its dairy produce mainly as powderd milk from Austrailia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Soon to be from one of the biggest milk producing companies in the world..New Zealand. Fonterra co-op is the world's largest exporter of dairy products.(Sorry, couldn't help it!)

Edited July 16, 2005 by chuchok

[David006]

I recon the Thai milk is the best..Canadian milk tastes like fish!!and watery....Ozzie milk is second to none too..used to deliver gold top in UK a hundred years ago...now THAT WAS gooood...lol

[taff33]

Why can't we get milk with the cream at the top like I remember it used to be,even in the UK this has stoped and I mean "real milk full cream" not like the rubish they sell now.

[WebBangkok]

I use dutch milk, it tastes the same as what I used to get back in Sydney, I dont notice any difference. Dont get the non fat sheet....