Gastro problems - what's in Meiji milk?

[krummi]

For about a year I have been experiencing burning, pressing and/or short sharp pain in the upper left part of my stomach. I also have a lot of undigested food in my stool. I have not gained or lost any weight and I usually go to the toilet 1-2 times a day. These symptoms improve when I travel for several days so I figured it may be related to some food I am eating at home. I ran several tests at the BNH and Bumrungrad gastro clinics, including blood, stool, MRI of the pancreas, ultrasound, gastroscopy and colonsocopy. The gastroscopy revealed a gastritis which the doctor attributed to acid reflux. However, to my knowledge, I do not suffer from any acid reflux. All other doctors diagonsed IBS as nothing else could be found.

I recently went for 3 weeks to Germany where the symptoms almost all disappeared. I ran further tests at a specialist doctor, incl. for allergies and food intollerance. A simple H2 breathing test (no clue why it was never done in Thailand) revealed a mild fructose intolerance. I also have a level II (out of VI) intolarance against homogenized milk.

Yesterday I returned to Thailand and drank 1/2 liter of fresh Meiji milk (I usually buy Meji and drink about 4-5 liters a week). 30 mins later I experienced burning, pressing and short sharp pains in the upper left part of my stomach. This morning, I also had quite a bit of undigested food in my stool. For me, it now seems obvious that my body rejects something in the Meiji milk. As I cannot read Thai, I wonder whether there are any 'additives' in that milk? I also drank fresh pasteurized milk in Germany and did not have this problem. Maybe Meiji is also homogenized to make it last longer and my body reacts to the homoginization? Any ideas anyone?

[Sheryl]

It is definitely homogenized, as is all the milk sold commercially in Thailand. That said I have trouble imagining how you could have a problem specifically with homogenized milk since homogenization does not alter the chemical content. Lactose intolerance, on the other hand, is common and would explain many of the symptoms you describe but the effects would not be limited to just one brand of milk.

BTW did they test for h. pylori? As this is the usual culprit for gastritis and requires a course of treatment with 3-4 drugs at once to eradicate. And re-testing after treatment to be sure it succeeded as 10-20% of initial treatments fail.

In any case common sense dictates that you avoid whatever foods seem to exacerbate your symptoms. If you have fructose malabsorption, you will need to be especially careful as they add fructose syrup liberally to many, many things in Thailand. And if you have lactose intolerance you may need to avoid dairy products other than (unsweetened) yogurt. (The bacilli in yogurt consume the lactose).

[rak sa_ngop]

I remember reading on TV that Meiji milk is 'made up' in Thailand from Japanese milk powder.

Something in the manufacturing process??

[AyG]

And if you have lactose intolerance you may need to avoid dairy products other than (unsweetened) yogurt. (The bacilli in yogurt consume the lactose).

Aged cheese (e.g. cheddar, parmesan, emmenthal) should also be OK for the same reason.

[stubuzz]

Do you drink alcohol?

[victor70]

It is definitely homogenized, as is all the milk sold commercially in Thailand. That said I have trouble imagining how you could have a problem specifically with homogenized milk since homogenization does not alter the chemical content. Lactose intolerance, on the other hand, is common and would explain many of the symptoms you describe but the effects would not be limited to just one brand of milk.

BTW did they test for h. pylori? As this is the usual culprit for gastritis and requires a course of treatment with 3-4 drugs at once to eradicate. And re-testing after treatment to be sure it succeeded as 10-20% of initial treatments fail.

In any case common sense dictates that you avoid whatever foods seem to exacerbate your symptoms. If you have fructose malabsorption, you will need to be especially careful as they add fructose syrup liberally to many, many things in Thailand. And if you have lactose intolerance you may need to avoid dairy products other than (unsweetened) yogurt. (The bacilli in yogurt consume the lactose).

I had about the same as you my doctor in Belgium prescribed me PANTOPRAZOLE 40mg half hour before eating this heped me very good no stomach problems anymore, they have this in Thailand but very more

expensive than in my coutry

[writeshack]

Generic omeprazole is sold in Thailand over the counter as Miracid. A lot cheaper that Pantoprazole

[DonaldBattles]

Today at Makro in Chiang Rai I noticed that they have taken all Meiji products off of their shelves. Most Thai milk is reconstituted. I am told that Dutch Mill is not. I am not sure. For sure Foremost is.

[Pii Kate]

For many over the age of 2 years old, lactose intolerance is more common than you would think. Fructose intolerance with milk? Odd to find that sugar in milk. You drink a lot of milk and that could also be contributing to your symptoms. Ever try not having dairy?

[Maroon Watcher]

Many years ago I had similar problems. (I took milk to help the pain!)

I found that a couple of beers at night actually made me better, and for a day or two...

I was later diagnosed as having Helicobacter pylori and treated with a specific antibiotic.

This worked for a while, but I found having a garlic tablet between meals STOPPED ALL stomach problems.

I now always take them - except when I have had a beer or two...

Try it. You can get "Tastless and odourless" types

(The more you pay the less your breath will smell... and the more it works)

[HUAHIN62]

Try soya milk i stead of normal milk for a month and see what happens. If the pain disappear you know its milk. You can also try UHT milk instead of fresh milk.

[shaurene]

I was going to say that milk is not fresh as we understand it is made from milk powder.

I suffered to years and years with acid reflux every day had so many tests nothing serious just my tummy producing lot of acid my doc put me on Omeprazole 20mg been on them 5 yrs now and can eat anything never have the acid reflux any more my Thai wife suffered with the acid reflux and I started her on it and she still gets it but very rarely it is a life saver if you have suffered acid reflux. Told a mate of mine in Pattaya we went over the the pharmacy and got it he has never suffered with it again.

But cut down or stop having slices like chili if you do not want to get this stuff, I can take spicy stuff now.

[shaurene]

Many years ago I had similar problems. (I took milk to help the pain!)

I found that a couple of beers at night actually made me better, and for a day or two...

I was later diagnosed as having Helicobacter pylori and treated with a specific antibiotic.

This worked for a while, but I found having a garlic tablet between meals STOPPED ALL stomach problems.

I now always take them - except when I have had a beer or two...

Try it. You can get "Tastless and odourless" types

(The more you pay the less your breath will smell... and the more it works)

Use fresh garlic peel the cloves and put 3-4 in a little glass with water and put it in the microwave for a min you can eat it raw and drink the water it does not smell

[bkkjames]

So is this brand specific? I don't think so and a suggestion to adjust the topic title to just Milk.

[AyG]

Most Thai milk is reconstituted. I am told that Dutch Mill is not. I am not sure. For sure Foremost is.

This Thai-bashing urban legend is regularly recycled. I have yet to see a single shred of evidence that it is actually true.

Thailand had 310,085 cows and produced 888,220 tonnes of fresh milk in 2005. (Can't find later figures offhand.) That's roughly 13 litres a year for every man, woman and child in the country. No need for reconstituted "fresh" drinking milk whatsoever.

[connda]

I don't like the taste of Meiji. In fact, all the primary brands of milk I've tried in Thailand taste - funny. I don't know why. Nothing like the milk I buy in my home country which has a uniform taste to it regardless of brands (for the most part).

About the only milk I drink here in Thailand is from Chokchai Farms. It tastes fresh. I'm only speaking for myself.

Edited July 21, 2014 by connda

[techboy]

Could have accomplished that in about three sentences. Spare us the "adventure". Bowel dudes really are gross.

[Nielsk]

I remember reading on TV that Meiji milk is 'made up' in Thailand from Japanese milk powder.

Something in the manufacturing process??

Meiji fresh milk that almost everyone mistook for it coming from Japan, is from Thailand - See more at: http://bongqiuqiu.blogspot.dk/2011/08/ad-warning-check-where-your-fresh-milk.html?showComment=1317567144885#c1184988258516580212

I'm usede to drink fresh milk in Denmark produced from raw milk from Danish cows. I love milk and cannot live without it.

I grew up at a farm in Denmark and know how good milk should taste. I stay in Thailand 6 month a year and tryed different brands of milk.

Meiji i will give 10 out of 10 stars. I can tell for sure not made up of milk powder..

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Almost all milk in Thailand is reconstituted from powdered milk.

It comes from various sources including NZ and China.

They also tend to add preservatives, sugar sweeteners and vitamins as the powder lacks a little something.

There are very few cows in Thailand, and what there are produce low amounts of milk because they are nearly all hybrid Asian.

If all their production was used as milk, it would provide about 5% of the milk required.

Meiji is most certainly not fresh milk.

Not enough cows in Thailand, and nobody transports fresh milk.

Look on the side of any milk purchased in Thailand.

Does it say "Fresh Milk"?

Not on my cartons.

Edited July 21, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[SOTIRIOS]

....I have heard that they lace plain milk with artificial sweeteners like aspartame....the plain yogurts too...

....a lot of people have bad reactions to artificial sweeteners...

[bkkjames]

....I have heard that they lace plain milk with artificial sweeteners like aspartame....the plain yogurts too...

....a lot of people have bad reactions to artificial sweeteners...

find somebody who can read Thai and look at the ingredients.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

....I have heard that they lace plain milk with artificial sweeteners like aspartame....the plain yogurts too...

....a lot of people have bad reactions to artificial sweeteners...

find somebody who can read Thai and look at the ingredients.

Do you believe CP can be trusted to list the contents truthfully and accurately?

[bkkjames]

....I have heard that they lace plain milk with artificial sweeteners like aspartame....the plain yogurts too...

....a lot of people have bad reactions to artificial sweeteners...

find somebody who can read Thai and look at the ingredients.

Do you believe CP can be trusted to list the contents truthfully and accurately?

Yes

[AyG]

Almost all milk in Thailand is reconstituted from powdered milk.

It comes from various sources including NZ and China.

They also tend to add preservatives, sugar and vitamins as the powder lacks a little something.

There are very few cows in Thailand, and what there are produce low amounts of milk because they are nearly all hybrid Asian.

If all their production was used as milk, it would provide about 5% of the milk required.

Meiji is most certainly not fresh milk.

Not enough cows in Thailand, and nobody transports fresh milk.

Look on the side of any milk purchased in Thailand.

Does it say "Fresh Milk"?

Not on my cartons.

I'm heartily sick of all this Thai-bashing. Do you actually have any evidence whatsoever that "almost all milk in Thailand is reconstituted from powdered milk" beyond the paranoid postings of xenophobes on bulletin boards?

Since when is 300,000 "very few cows"? And do you honestly believe Thailand requires 20 x 888,220 tonnes of fresh milk if these cows can only provide 5% of the required milk?

Yes, yoghurt and milk aren't made directly from milk here, but the stuff in bottles sold as milk is most definitely milk. Of course if you have even a shred of evidence to the contrary I'll be happy to retract my statement.

[chiang mai]

Almost all milk in Thailand is reconstituted from powdered milk.

It comes from various sources including NZ and China.

They also tend to add preservatives, sugar sweeteners and vitamins as the powder lacks a little something.

There are very few cows in Thailand, and what there are produce low amounts of milk because they are nearly all hybrid Asian.

If all their production was used as milk, it would provide about 5% of the milk required.

Meiji is most certainly not fresh milk.

Not enough cows in Thailand, and nobody transports fresh milk.

Look on the side of any milk purchased in Thailand.

Does it say "Fresh Milk"?

Not on my cartons.

Sometimes AOA you come out with such BS that you must surpise even yourself!

"It buys 500 tonnes of raw milk a day from 2,500 farm households for its five processing plants, in Saraburi’s Muak Lek, Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Pran Buri, Khon Kaen, Sukhothai and Chiang Mai.

A new 700-million-baht plant in Lampang province is under construction and expected to be completed in two years".

http://scandasia.com/thai-danish-milk-company-enters-asean-market/

If anyone is interested the attached is not current but the tables shown half way down the first page set out the picture of milk production quite nicely.

http://ilri.org/infoserv/Webpub/fulldocs/South_South/ch12.htm

Edited July 21, 2014 by chiang mai

[AnotherOneAmerican]

From the Meiji Corporate website

http://www.meiji.com/english/corporate/data/network/

"Dairy Products

Meiji established the joint venture CP-Meiji Co., Ltd., in 1989 to manufacture and sell milk and yogurt products in Thailand. The company has captured the leading market share in the Thai market for chilled milk with the growing recognition of meiji brand milk, while increasing sales of cream and other institutional dairy products.

In March 2011, Meiji established Meiji Dairies (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., in China, which began manufacturing and selling milk and yogurt in December 2013. In 2013, we launched Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt series in Thailand and Shanghai, China. These products are gaining popularity as the first real yogurt to be available in those areas."

So I have to ask,

1. do you imagine they are shipping fresh milk from China to Thailand?

2. Are you thinking aircraft carrying liquid milk?

3. If by container on a ship, how would they preserve it?

Just wondering, maybe you have an explanation how they transport their fresh milk from China to Thailand without it going off?

[cooked]

I just ask for Omeprazole and they give me a generic (got Miracid this time). I go days at a time without problems then have a bout of one or two days, sometimes but not always in connection with drinking beer. I drink Dutch Mills, blue top, but never by itself.

[krummi]

H.pylori test was negative.

I used omeprazole/miracid and rantinidine against the gastritis. Still same problems.

I do not have acid reflux

The test in Germany said specifically level II intolerance against homogenized milk but not lactose intolerance...

Garlic is very bad when having fructose malabsorption.

Wilk wait a week and try a different milk brand.

[chiang mai]

There's a range of things that aggravate gastritis and duodenitis, I have both - alcohol is a prime candidate as it coffee and spicy foods, omeprazole/miracid sometimes works for me but one thing that always works oddly enough is fresh milk - I am mildly lactose intolerant but I can tolerate half a bottle of milk with seemingly no problem.

[Maroon Watcher]

... so as the topic as digressed a little

Can anyone who reads (Micro) Thai suggest what milk is the freshest - and the least messed with!

I used to enjoy "semi-skimed" milk, that lasted about 4 days from fresh purchase, and could be frozen for convenience.

?