Goat milk or milk powder?

Recently, the State Food and Drug Administration has detected a number of infant milk formulas that were unqualified in infant milk formula inspections. The goat milk powder and milk powder incident once again attracted attention.

For infants, breastfeeding is the best, but in some cases infant formula is the second choice when mothers cannot breastfeed. We can often see in various advertisements that sheep milk powder is closer to breast milk than milk powder, easier to digest and absorb, and it is not easy to make babies allergic. Sheep milk powder, really so good?

The difference between goat milk and milk made from milk powder

According to the “Some screws” of Dr. Dairy Science, a member of the Scientific Squirrel Association, milk and goat milk are very different from breast milk ingredients in the case of unadjusted ingredients, and they cannot be eaten directly by infants.

First, the ratio of whey protein to casein in mature breast milk is usually around 60:40, whereas the ratio of goat milk and milk is around 22:78 and 18:82, respectively. Although the proportion of whey protein in goat milk is indeed slightly higher than that of milk, it is still far away from breast milk. Since this difference in the protein composition of milk and breastmilk was recognized in the 1960s, most infant formulas have been adjusted for whey protein and casein by adding whey protein.

China's national standards for infant formulas require that the whey protein content in infant formula be greater than or equal to 60%. Therefore, the proportions of whey protein and casein in qualified infant formulas are close to breast milk and do not differ much.

Second, whether the protein can meet the nutritional needs of the baby depends on whether the amino acid model is similar to breast milk. The amino acid pattern of goat milk protein is very similar to that of milk, but it is very different from breast milk. For example, the ratio of glycine, tryptophan, and cysteine ​​is very low compared to breast milk, and the proportion of methionine is high. Therefore, both need to adjust the proportion of whey protein and casein or add an additional amino acid to make it close to the amino acid pattern of breast milk. At this point, goat milk powder is not better than milk powder.

From this point of view, regardless of goat milk or milk, in the process of making baby milk powder, all efforts are made to imitate the composition of breast milk. Even if the content of some nutrients in goat milk is higher than in milk, it has been unified in the process of mother emulsification. Therefore, the biggest difference between goat milk powder and milk powder is actually the source of the protein.

Sheep milk powder is not necessarily easier to absorb than milk powder

In the advertisement about goat milk infant formula, it is also often mentioned that goat fat milk balls are smaller than milk, and the content of unsaturated fatty acids is higher, so it is easier for babies to digest and absorb. In fact, whether it is goat milk powder or milk powder, skimmed milk is used, and the fat ingredients in the milk powder are all derived from more reasonable vegetable oils. Therefore, there is no relationship between the size of fat particles in goat milk and the digestion and absorption of goat milk infant formula.

It is worth mentioning that the EU, which has always been relatively strict in food management, has not approved infant formula milk using goat milk as a source of protein. Although the data submitted by the goat milk powder company that submitted the application showed no significant difference in the growth status of the three groups of infants fed with goat milk powder, milk powder and breast milk respectively, the European Food Safety Authority believes that the current clinical trial data are based on sample size. Too small to prove that goat milk protein is suitable as a protein source for infant formula.

Of course, it needs to be pointed out that this does not mean that the quality of goat milk powder is not good. After all, sheep milk powder in many other countries and regions complies with local food safety regulations.

Goat milk allergy is not necessarily low

As for goat milk powder, it is not easy to cause protein allergy in infants, and the scientific community is still undecided. Although some studies have observed that some people who are allergic to milk are not allergic to goat milk proteins, there are also studies that have found cross-sensitivities between milk protein and goat milk protein (because the structure of some proteins in milk and goat milk is very similar. People who are allergic to milk protein may also be allergic to goat milk protein and vice versa).

In addition, the European Food Safety Authority released a report on the protein source of goat milk protein as an infant formula, and also believes that there is currently not enough evidence to prove that goat milk powder is less likely to cause allergic reactions than milk powder. For safety reasons, infants who are allergic to milk proteins should instead use goat milk powder instead of milk powder instead of special hydrolyzed protein formula or soy protein-based infant formula.

Specially reminded consumers, where the purchase of substandard products should stop eating, timely contact with the production company or distributor. If you find the above unqualified products on the market, please call the 12331 hotline to make a complaint or report.