Should We Boil Packaged Milk Before Drinking? Heres What Doctors Recommend

Indians consume a lot of milk and milk products in their daily diet. Many households buy packaged milk from popular dairy brands and then always boil the milk first before consuming it. If they want to consume cold milk, then the boiled first has to cool down and then be placed inside the refrigerator. However, is it even necessary to boil packaged and pasteurized milk? Is it wrong to directly consume the milk from the packet without boiling it? We asked doctors these questions and here is what they said:

Packaged Milk Is Pasteurized And Safe

“Packaged milk is pasteurized, that is, it is heat-treated to destroy harmful bacteria and the prolong shelf life of the milk. It is generally safe to consume directly without boiling,” explains Ruchika Jain, Head – Dietician, Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj.

Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to a high temperature for a specific time to destroy the majority of dangerous bacteria and viruses, including the avian flu virus, mycobacteria, E. Coli, Coxiella, Listeria, and Campylobacter. 

Dr Rajeev Gupta, Director – Internal Medicine at the CK Birla Hospital (R), Delhi, confirms, “The pasteurization and storage of packaged milk determines whether or not it needs to be boiled before drinking. Pasteurized milk that has been stored and packaged properly can be consumed without boiling.”

However, to ensure safety, raw milk must always be boiled before consumption. 

When Should We Boil The Pasteurized Milk?

While pasteurized, packaged milk is safe for direct consumption, as explained by the doctors, they do add that there are certain cases when it is safer to boil the pasteurized milk as well. “Boiling could be an additional safety precaution if there are concerns about the pasteurized milk’s storage and transportation conditions,” says Dr Rajeev Gupta.
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Ruchika Jain, Head – Dietician, Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj explains, “Storage at the right temperatures (below 8 degrees Celsius) and transportation also matters in milk safety. If the pasteurized milk is not stored/transported at right temperatures, there are chances of bacterial growth. In that case, we can boil milk and use it especially if we want to use hot and creamy milk.”

Apart from destroying potentially harmful bacteria, boiling milk has another benefit – it might be “better tolerated and digested”, explains Dr Rajeev Gupta. Boiled milk “potentially contains more medium and short-chain fatty acids than long-chain fatty acids.” This may help people who have difficulties digesting milk due to protein allergies or lactose intolerance.

Can Boiling Milk Destroy The Nutrients?

According to WebMD, tests have shown lower levels of vitamins and minerals in boiled milk, including vitamins B2, B3, B6, and folic acid. Dr Rajeev Gupta says, “While boiling pasteurized milk can change the whey protein and diminish some vitamins like riboflavin, it has no effect on casein, which makes up 80% of milk proteins.” The presence is casein protein is what gives milk its white colour.

Armed with expert knowledge, now you would know when to prefer boiling milk at home, and when it is safe to consume the pasteurized milk directly!
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Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.