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Goat milk…For Your Good Health!

Frank Van Boxstael | Koen Dhoore

What everybody should know about raw milk and goat milk

References

The content of the First two chapters is based on the study‘Milk as functional nutrition : prevention of osteoporosis andcardiovascular diseases’ (Frank Van Boxstael, September 2003).The content of chapter 3 is based on the supplements to thisstudy as written by the author in June 2007.

For references and further arguments we refer to the entire text ofthe study, that can be found in the [academic?] university libraryGasthuisberg of the K.U.Leuven (department of Education &Research – 4th �oor – PB 411,Campus Gasthuisberg, BE-3000 Leuven,tel. +32 16 34 61 05), under thesis numbers BMW/108 and BMW/108bis.

Final redaction and contents of chapters 4 and 5 : Koen Dhoore.

The text of this brochure was checked and approved by Frank VanBoxstael, bio engineer and licentiate in biomedical sciences.

This brochure has been edited by the VlaamseBeroepsgeitenhouderij (Flemish Professional Goat Breeders),Study club of the professional goat milk producers. A list withcontact addresses can be found in the last pages of this brochure.Consumers can direct their questions to the study club.

Researchers, doctors and therapists can direct their questionsconcerning the scienti�c background to

Ir. Frank Van BoxstaelInnovation and Knowledge Centre for NutritionCatholic Highschool RoeselareDepartement Nursing and Bio TechnologyWilgenstraat 32 - 8800 RoeselareBelgiumtel +32 51 23 23 30

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Goat milk… For Your Good Health!Cheers!!

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5 Preface

1. The advantages of raw milk 7 Heat treatments decrease the

nutritional value of milk 7 Heat treatments generate non desiredsubstances in the milk

Heat treatments decrease the

2. The advantages of goat milk 11 Goat milk as source of minerals 11 Goat milk in the prevention of heart and

vascular diseases 21 Goat milk as nutrition for babies 12

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51Goat milk contains leptines 16 17 Goat milk less allergen than cow milk ? 18

4. Using raw milk in a responsible way 23

5. Are products based on raw milka bigger risk ? 72 72 Milk 82 Cheese 92 Butter

03Contact addresses

Manifest in defence ofcheeses based on raw milk 23

Contents

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The Flemish goat companies dispose – thanks to their explicitly solid character – of important trumps for the futureand not in the least because of their animal and environment friendly production processes.

A third important opportunity for the future is the quality of our products. There is not the least bit of doubt aboutthe fact that goat milk and goat milk products contribute to a really nutritional nourishment. But besides that theyalso have functional – or better yet, health improving – e�ects.

There can be hardly any doubt about that, even though we cannot deny that until a few years ago, the informationon this subject was exclusively based on experiences, which lacked the indispensable scienti�c base.

The Flemish goat keepers sector is a “small” sector. It concerns only about a few dozens of companies and theeconomical interests in the delivery companies and – compared to other production directions in the Flemishagriculture - the processing industry are relatively limited. In our own country there is very little interest in long termand often very expensive scienti�c research that can be relevant for so little companies.

That is the reason why we owe Ir. Frank Van Boxstael. His licentiate thesis in bio medic sciences, that was publishedin 2003, was dedicated to the study of what was available in the rest of the world on scienti�c �ndings on raw milkand goat milk. Thanks to him the Vlaamse Beroepsgeitenhouderij (Flemish Professional Goat Keepers’) study clubwas able to edit a modest brochure that year, featuring a.o. a translation ‘in human language’ of the research results.

Meanwhile Ir. Van Boxstael continued his research, which allows us to insert in this second edition an entirely newchapter holding recent scienti�c �ndings that have been published by scientists from several countries. Even thoughmost of the data still need to be con�rmed by clinical research, these new research results surpass our expectations.

This brochure not only wants to inform the consumers about what science – both experiential science and researchscience – has revealed concerning goat milk. We also want to encourage the producers of goat milk to continuetheir e�orts for the quality of their products, and to keep producing “for your good health!”

We want to share the love we have for our product and for the earth and the animals that produce it, with you,conscious consumer. Because this is what our small sector is good at.

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Preface

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We rather choose raw milkBecause of the high concentrationin vitamins and other essentialcomponents, and the optimal use of proteins and fats.

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The UHT treatment diminishes the nutritional value of the milk, makes it develop undesired material and reduce the health e�ects of the milk.

Heat treatments reduce the nutritionalvalue of milk

Some vitamin and mineral values decrease by the UHT treatment of the milk.

Due to the UHT treatment part of the proteins and fatssu�er alterations in their structure and chemical composition. These changes inhibit the optimal e�ectiveness in the body.

Moreover the values of a number of essential components decrease. That is the case for linoleic and linolenic(essential fatty acids) and lysine (essential amino acid).That doesn’t mean UHT treated milk is a bad food.Milk treated at ultra high heat also delivers carbohydrates (milk sugar or lactose), proteins andfats in a well balanced proportion to our body.

Except for very young babies and people with poorresistance, it is absolutely preferable we choose raw milk because of the higher concentration in vitamins and otheressential components, and the optimal e�ectiveness of proteinsen fats.

Heat treatments generate non desiredelements in the milk

Because of the UHT treatment some fats start to oxidize.out of part of the unsaturated fat acids ‘Fatty Acid Oxidation Products’ (FAOP) are produced.

Unsaturated fatty acids have a favourable e�ect on your health. Because the unsaturated fatty acids are partly alteredinto FAOP during a UHT treatment the concentration in unsaturated fatty acids decreases in the milk, and with it the healthy e�ect of the milk.

Besides that, the FAOP themselves also cause adverse e�ects.

The advantages of raw milkMilk – raw as well as pasteurized – is a very good aliment. Still we notice a number of di�erences between raw milk milk treated at ultra high temperature.

Part of the cholesterol the milk contains, is oxidizedBecause of the UHT treatment. The products of thischemical reaction are called COP (CholesterolOxidation Products). These are more harmful than thecholesterol itself.

Moreover during the UHT treatment a chemical reaction occurs between the lactose (milk sugar) and the proteins inthe milk. This chemical reaction is the so-called “MaillardReaction”.The products of this reaction are called MRP (Maillard Reaction Products). Some MRP havefavourable e�ects, but others have been proven harmful.

When it comes to the drinking of milk, we shouldn’t betoo concerned about the products of these reactions in milk that was treated at ultra high temperature, as thedoses are very low.

For the production of butter or hard cheese a large amountof milk is used. The �nished products hold a higherconcentration of the components of the milk.

However, in highly concentrated products like butterand cheese, we’d rather choose raw milk products.

Apart from the nutritional ingredients, the reaction products of the UHT treatment (FAOP, COP and MRP) in the dairy productstreated at ultra high temperature are also present in highconcentrations.Besides this way, we also take many of these components inthrough other food that is treated with UHT.

A high dose of these oxidation products contributesto atherosclerosis (degradation of the blood vessels) andother in�ammatory diseases.

Heat treatments diminishthe healthy effects of the milk

The use of milk has favourable e�ects on the health.Some scienti�cally proven examples: milk asan e�ective source of calcium, use of milk against oxidative stress in the body, and use of milk against atherosclerosis.

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These healthy e�ects also occur with UHT treated milk, be it in a lesser degree than with raw milk.

Raw milk has thus a better e�ect in theprevention of

� osteoporosis (brittleness of the bones),

� atherosclerosis (degradation of the blood vessels): Prevention of the in�ammation of the arteries, as wellas prevention of the risk factors that increase thechance for this in�ammation of the arteries,

� all diseases in which oxidative stress play an importantrole: in�ammations, aging, diminished fertility ofthe man, schizophrenia, long diseases,cancer,…

In this case as well it applies that UHT treated milk stillremains an excellent nutriment. Part of the componentsthat provide the health e�ects, are not destroyedby the UHT treatment, and sometimes severalcomponents o�er the same e�ect.

The use ofmilk has favourable

e�ects onour health.

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Because of the good e�ectiveness of minerals, raw goat milk is excellentfood for babies, children, teenagers,elderly, menstruating women,pregnant women witha good immunity and women that breastfeed.

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Goat milk does contain more vitamin B3, and thecomposition in fat of goat milk is more favourablefor human consumption

The most important di�erences are situated in thehealth e�ects: milk as so-called ‘functional food’.The concentrations in health improving elementsdi�er (a.o. vitamin B3, certain fat acids andamino acids). The other ‘micro structure’ alsomake goat milk easier to digest than cow milk.

Goat milk as source of minerals

The minerals in goat milk are more e�ective for theorganism. They are thus easier to get to theirdestination, as has been proven in animal tests(Clinical test have not yet been performed).

A better e�ectiveness in the absorption of calciumwhen using goat milk, Results in a better preventionof osteoporosis (brittleness of the bones with decreaseof stature).

Of all dairy products, raw goat milk has the highest ability to produce new bones, followed by raw cow milk,yoghurt and buttermilk. Then follows soft cheese,and next the harder cheeses, preferably based on raw milk

It is scienti�cally proven that the use of goat milk also improves the e�ectiveness what concerns the other minerals (magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and selenium). Therefore goat milk can also be an important means in the preventionof anaemia.

Because of the good e�ectiveness of minerals, raw goat milkis a perfect nutrition for babies, children, teenagers,elderly, menstruating women, pregnant womenhaving a good immunity and women that breastfeed. These people have an increased need for calcium.

People with still developing or weakened resistance to illnesses(young babies, some elder people and possiblyPregnant women) should choose pasteurized goat milk.

The advantages of goat milkWhen we check the nutritional value – the concentrations in carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals – we notice that there is verylittle di�erence between cow milk and goat milk.

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Goat milk in the prevention ofheart and vascular diseases

Goat milk is healthy nutrition for people with heart andcoronary diseases, because of its di�erent healthimproving e�ects. (These �ndings are scienti�callyvalid a.o. based on in vitro and animal tests but Clinicaltests will need to give more con�rmation in the future).

Goat milk� decreases concentration of cholesterol in the blood� stimulates the anti-oxidation system in the body� prevents overweight� prevents elderly diabetes (type II)� diminishes the formation of blood clots� prevents hyperhomocysteinemia.

This last a�ection is a situation of an increasedconcentration of homocysteine in the blood, a riskfactor for coronary diseases. The use of milk evokesthe transformation of the homocysteine into theharmless amino acid: methionine.

Because goat milk stimulates the proper anti-oxidation systemin the body, goat milk can also be recommended to slow down the aging process, for people su�eringfrom schizophrenia and for men subject to reduced fertility.

In this chapter on heart and vascular diseases we want to Emphasize an important misconception concerningthe use of fat: moderate use of raw milk butter�ts perfectly in a balanced nutrition! It is preferable to obtain your fat supply partly from vegetable oils and partly from raw milk butter, rather than purely fromvegetable oils. Actually, butter contains speci�c healthimproving elements that don’t occur in plants, and hasas such a favourable e�ect on the digestion of other fat.

Goat milk as nutrition for babies

For very young babies the breast milk can not be replacedby cow or goat milk, because of the not suitable compositionfor what proteins, fatty acids and minerals are concerned.

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When, for one reason or another, a baby cannot bebreastfed, it is best to replace it by baby milk powder.This approaches best the composition of breast milk.

For babies as from 1 year old, regular whole milk canbe used because the di�erence in composition doesn’t a�ect the babies metabolism at that point. If the childis healthy and can pass on to a mixed diet, raw milk ismore suitable than UHT treated milk. With the UHTtreatment a great number of health improving e�ectsdisappear and the nutritional value decreases

In this case your preferably choose goat milk.Compared to cow milk, goat milk o�ers thefollowing advantages:

� easily digestible,� better composition of fats (metabolism and e�ectiveness),� better e�ectiveness of minerals, especially of calcium,

magnesium, copper and iron,� goat milk can be a good alternative in case of allergy

to cow milk.

Concerning this last fact: this should be consideredfor every case individually. Goat milk will often be a perfectalternative, but this is not always the case! See also chapter 3, in which we treat this matter more in detail.

Fresh raw milk is particularly favourable for childrenbecause of the development of the immune system,the nerve system and the regulation of the energy balance.E�ects that do not occur fully when UHT treated milk is used.

For very youngbabies the breast milk

cannot be replacedby cow or goat milk

because of their unsuitablecomposition

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Goat milk is superior to cow milk in a numberof cases, especially where protection against osteoporosis (brittleness of the bones) and atherosclerosis (coronary in�ammation) isconcerned.

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It is proven that raw milk is to be preferred becauseof its maximal functionality and the absence ofoxidized fat. In a number of areas goat milk is superiorto cow milk, especially where the protection againstosteoporosis (brittleness of the bones) andatherosclerosis (coronary in�ammation) is concerned.

Recent scienti�c research has revealed a numberof new �ndings on the functional (= health improving)e�ects of raw milk and goat milk.

Goat milk contains leptines

Leptine is a hormone that is released by fat cells.It has various physiological e�ects on the body,Such as the regulation of the energy balance andneuroendocrine functions, of which some are relatedto the development: sexual maturation, balancebetween glucose and insulin, functioning of theimmune system and the development of the central

nerve system. Moreover it is assumed for quite a whilethat an obstruction of the leptine metabolismcontributes to the development of obesity.Leptine has been proven to appear in breast milk, milk of miceand a few other animals. The question however was ifleptine can speci�cally be found in goat milk, and if itcan have an e�ect on the (human) consumer.Fact is that breast fed babies have a higherconcentration of leptine in the blood than babies that arefed with powder milk, and it is known that breastfed babiesshow di�erences on certain areas compared to babies fed withmilk replacing powder.

Research has also proven that the early growth of breastfed children is more intense in relation to a higher concentration of leptine.

Goat milk actually contains leptine. Colostrum(the �rst milk immediately after the birth of lambs) Contains a lot of these leptines; the concentration decreasesafterwards gradually to a more or less constant concentration.

Recent scientific findingsThe health improving qualities of milk have been known since years of experience, and part of these qualities havealready been proven through scienti�c research.

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Let’s presume that the leptine in goat milk invokes a physiological e�ect on the consumer. The functionalprinciple would be comparable to that of a.o. lactokinineand casokinine, of which the e�ects have already beenproven earlier. Which physiological e�ect leptine in goatmilk exactly has, is yet to be proven. The intake ofleptine is in any case taken into consideration in thecomparing reports on baby food, and more in particularin the comparison of breast milk versus replacing milk.

Cholesterol degrading functionof goat milk

Goat milk degrades cholesterol better than cow milk.This was proven on test animals, but has not beenproven through clinical research yet. The reason forthis stronger degrading e�ect on cholesterol is thelower concentration in cholesterol and the higherconcentration on components that make thecholesterol in the blood decrease.

This has been known for many years, but recent studiesnow Clearly con�rm this cholesterol degrading e�ect.

Goat milk is rich in medium chain fatty acids (MCFA):60% more compared to cow milk. These fatty acids reducethe production of cholesterol in the body and decrease theabsorption of cholesterol in the bowels.

The proven higher secretion of cholesterol through the gall bladder could also be due to an e�ect ofthe medium chain fatty acids. Besides that, goat milkcontains more mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturatedfatty acids, of which was proven before that they stimulatethe secretion of cholesterol from the food.

In what precedes has been shown that milk in generalcontains anti-oxidative capacities, but in the meantime it is also clear that goat milk has stronger anti-oxidativecapacities. Here we clearly see a parallel with vegetables and fruit: these also present a high concentration ofanti-oxidants which are partly responsible for the cholesteroldegrading e�ect.

The whole of above mentioned �ndings o�ers a clear indication of what this is all about: it is not

Goat milk degrades cholesterol better than cow milk.

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the quantity of the cholesterol, but the e�ects on the cholesterol balance that count. Thanks to the highconcentration in medium chain fatty acids ant theiranti-oxidative e�ect, goat milk helps in more than oneway the body to improve the secretion of cholesterol.

Effect of goat milk on theimmune system

An important task of our immune system is to protectour body against a dominance of pathogenic micro-organisms. The use of milk help to optimize thistask,a.o. through the presence of a great number of enzymes.

Milk naturally contains micro-organisms, not onlyfavourable, so it needs to be emphasized that these milkcomponents are not merely functional towards the userof the milk. First of all they protect the milk itself againstpremature degradation.

Apart from the enzymes, many other bio-activecomponents that can o�er an immunologic e�ect tothe body, can be found in the milk. One particulargroup of components,

namely the oligosaccharides, were recently subject to athorough examination.

Oligosaccharides are the third most active elements found in breast milk (after lactose and fats), by 5 to 8g per litre.However goat milk contains 20 times less of them comparedto breast milk, but then cow milk contains even 10 times less then goat milk.

Breastfed children are better protected against infectionsthan children who only received powder milk.This phenomenon is actually attributed to the oligosaccharidesin breast milk: on the one hand they protect against pathogenic bacteria in the intestines, and on theother hand they stimulate the growth of (favourable)bi�da-bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

A new �nding is that oligosaccharides are also capable of making its micro-organisms coagulate. It is furthermoreproven that oligosaccharides play an important role in thedevelopment and di�erentiation of the intestine tissue ofnewborns.

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This is all possible because oligosaccharides remain unprocessed in the upper part of the digestive tract and are only subject to processing in the intestines.

From that perspective at present there are experiments (on animal level) with oligosaccharides as a cure againstinfections of the intestines. The actually used therapy often consists of treatment with cortisone. This treatment can ofcourse be e�ective, but it can bring along a large range ofside e�ects.

Compared to cow milk, goat milk doesn’t only containten times More oligosaccharides, it also presents amuch larger variety of oligosaccharides (a.o. alsorami�ed molecules).

Oligosaccharides in goat milk can have a in�ammatoryresistant e�ect which indicates that goat milk isrecommended for patients that su�er from illnesses ofthe intestines, like colitis and the Crohn’s disease.Furthermore there are indications of a prebiotic e�ectselective stimulation of favourable microbiotics inthe bowel.

Goat milk less allergenicthan cow milk ?

In 5 to 10% of the cases, young children present a foodallergy. The most occurring allergy is to cow milk.

Very often children that start with breast milk and switch to powder milk afterwards, show a sensitivity to milk and even show symptoms immediately after the use of cow milk.Soy drinks or hydrolyzed formulas can be a good alternative, butcan never equal the qualities of breast milk or raw milk – for instance where functionality of bio-active components isconcerned.

For the longest time goat milk has been proposed as analternative for cow milk in case of allergy. Some allergic childrenseem to have no allergic reaction to products based on goat milk.Other �ndings prove the contrary.In some cases allergy to cow milk and allergy to goat milk arerelated. There are even reports that

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mention ‘milk allergy’, while cow milk doesn’t createany problem.

According to some researchers it is crucial to avoid using cow milk as �rst replacing milk after breastfeeding.Based on studies on allergies it is in fact assumed thatthe observed di�erences between cow milk and goatmilk are due to the lower concentration of alfa-caseinein goat milk.

This important milk allergen would be the carrier for other allergens likes beta lactoglobulin. The latter coagulates with the caseincells which make the milk harder to digest. That way the milk allergens in goat milk would be relatively easier to digest and assuch less subject to allergy.

We also need to consider that there is a clear di�erence between intolerance (or hypolactasia)and allergy. Part of the so-called allergic peopleactually only shows intolerance. The use of too much lactose, leads to a bloated feeling and possibly

diarrhoea. It mostly re�ects an inherited shortageof enzymes,but it can also be an indication of a sidee�ect of other diseases.

People with intolerances can generally spoken, consume upto 12g of lactose per day (i.e. in 1 large glass of milk)without showing any symptoms. Lactose can actually be metabolized by intestinal bacteria.

It can not be concluded that goat milk is not or in general less allergenic. Research however, shows that it would bepreferable to use goat milk for a child as �rst replacement forbreast milk.

Conclusion

The discovery of leptine in goat milk certainly contributes to the further di�erentiation of the possible typesof baby food. The reported di�erences concerning developmentand regulation (contraction – relaxation) of the intestinal functionof young children can possibly be related to the concentrationof leptines in the nutritional milk. Earlier indications that goatmilk is perfectly �t to be used to feed babies and children, isemphasized by this report.

Goat milk improves degradation of cholesterol while in�uencing the cholesterol balance. The increased secretion of cholesterol through the gall bladder could eventuallybe an e�ect of the high concentration in medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) found in goat milk. It is a unique food that contains these fatty acids of which some secrets are yet to discover.

Research groups areintensively working

to prove that goat milkcan absolutely be

consideredas preferredmilk for children.

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Goat milk contains bio-active components that in�uence the immune system favourably in di�erent ways. Oligosaccharides have an anti-body-like character and can limit an overreaction of our immune system. That way they can cure the negative e�ects of intestinal in�ammation. This o�ers good therapeutic advice for people su�ering from intestinal diseases like colitis and Crohn’s disease.

From a comparing study on allergies between cow milkand goat milk results that goat milk is less allergenic incomparison to cow milk, used as �rst type of milk on testanimals, immediately after the use of breast milk. It o�ersnew research perspectives, but fact is that the constantlychanging �ndings concerning goat milk as an alternativefor cow milk in case of allergy, keep existing.

There is de�nitely an increasing number of studies concerning the di�erences between cow milk andgoat milk. Several research groups are intensively trying to prove that goat milkcan absolutely be used as preferable replacing milk for children.

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4Raw milk can best be processed within 4 days. . Of course the taste is also at its best when the milk isdaily fresh.

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Only listeriosis is actually a really dangerous problem,but over the last decennia the hygiene rules introduced in the food producing industry, has drastically reduced the number of listeriosis cases.

Speci�cally in the world of goat keeping we notice thatgoats are quite sensitive to listeria. Experience hastaught us that goat react very fast and strongly toinfections. For the goat keeper, this is a di�cult positionto be in, but it o�ers the consumers higher security.

The symptoms of listeriosis must be traced in an earlystadium and goat keepers must always be very alertto these symptoms, as only immediate interventioncan save a sick goat.

Still it is important to treat raw milk in a responsible way. That can only be achieved if the e�orts for hygiene on our farm are sustained by you, on your way home and in your kitchen. Some practical advice.

On the farm, the milk is kept at a temperature of 4° C at the most.Regular fridges often aren’t cool enough, but at home as well the milk should be maintained at that same temperature. Check on a regular base if the refrigerator functions well and if itreaches the requested temperature.

Avoid that the milk is exposed to high temperatures on the way home (when needed, use a cooler in the car).

Raw milk can best be used within the next couple of days.The taste is also at its best when the is milk daily fresh.

When you prepare a meal, only take from the fridge the ingredients you need for the preparation, and only that.Every time you put milk on the table at room temperature for the duration of a meal, and put it back in the fridge afterwards, this creates a risk.

Make sure to separate meat and dairy products in therefrigerator. Best is to keep them separately in well closedrecipients.

Using raw milk in a responsible wayA bacterial infection in the milk usually only leads to temporary discomfort,but there are bacteria that can cause serious diseases. However, dairyproducts are only a small fraction of the possible causes to food infections.

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Bottles or jars need to be cleaned thoroughly every time, and to be ‘disinfected’ once in a while.A regular soap, used in and around the house, cleans, but usually doesn’t disinfect.

A good disinfecting product that is currently used in every home, is bleach (use small quantities, think of the environment!). Always rinse thoroughly with drinkable water. When you bring along perfectly clean bottles to our farm, we feel that you respect our e�orts to provide safe food.

Avoid the use of used plastic bottles. Many types of plastic are not suitable for food, and certainly not for dairy products.Acid components of the dairy products can corrode the plastic, which liberates dissolved plastic particles in the milk. Non acidi�ed milk is naturally slightly acidy (pH 6,5). Even plasticthat is ‘suited’ for food often contains pseudo-oestrogens (components with a similar e�ect as the oestrogen-hormone).

Bottles or jars need to be cleaned

thoroughly every time,and to be ‘disinfected’

once in a while. A regularsoap, used in and around

the house, cleans, butusually doesn’t disinfect.

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Never use raw dairy products if their smell or tasteseems suspicious. Most of the time these abnormalsmells or tastes are caused by undesirable bacteriain the milk. In some rare cases it concerns an innocentalteration of the taste due to exposure to brightlight. Still we advise you not to take any risk

Some ‘risk groups’ shouldn’t use raw milk: namelywhen the physical resistance is not yet full-grown ordoesn’t function optimally (like it used to). This canbe the case for very young babies, some elderlypeople, possibly also pregnant women,…

For these people we can still recommend goat milk,but they should preferably choose pasteurized goatmilk. In that case as well, do not boil, but pasteurize(minimum 70° C, but in any case lower than 100°,at higher temperature the time can be shortened).

Never use rawdairy products if their

smell or taste seems suspicious.

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During the production process the bacterial environment of yoghurt and curd is so unstable, that, in order to avoid any risk,we pasteurize beforehand.

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None of the dairy products require a thermal after-treatment at the end of the production process.It can be done, but this treatment is not compulsory. Raw is also a possibility, and that makes us happy.

There are however two categories of products that must be prepared based on pasteurized milk as from the start: yoghurt and curd. During the production process the bacterial environment of these products is so unstable, that, in order to avoid any risk, we pasteurize beforehand.

Side info: for these products the pasteurization has some advantages. The �nal product based on pasteurized milk is often slightly less ‘watery’ than the raw milk product, at least when we pasteurize it shortly at high temperature.

In both products during the production processsome very favourable and guaranteed pure microbial strains are added. When yoghurt andcurd are prepared based on pasteurized milk and are not subjected to further thermal treatment,

are thus bacterially spoken, again ‘raw’ products at the end of the production process. At that moment they contain again a vital bacterial �ora that also occurs in raw milk.

Of course the other disadvantages of UHT treated milk emain. Yoghurt and curd are not concentrated products like butter or cheese, so the disadvantages of the ultra high heat treatment are limited.

All other dairy products may legally be based on rawmilk, and justly so. In case of the other dairy products the risks are negligible.

Milk

When we consider the hygiene prescriptions, the best way to consume milk is when it is still raw, because non UHT treated milk presents a series of natural protection systems.

Do products based on raw milkhold a bigger risk ?

Yes and no. If we consider the dairy products that are available in ourcountry, we can conclude “no, no higher risk”. The law has taken wise decisions in the regulation concerning dairy products.

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It partially concerns content components in the milk that serve as a kind of natural preservatives, that are strictly harmless to human health or even improve health.

On top of that the milk is protected by the principleof “antibiosis”. Like we know symbiosis (literally “living together”), the contrary also exists.Harmful bacteria in the milk are mostly single or casual visitors. The activity of the favourable bacteria(especially large numbers of lactic acid creating bacteria)that belong in milk, and that feel comfortable in that environment, prevent the development of casual damaging visitors.

Both protection systems are mainly destroyed by theUHT treatment.

Cheese

Cheese is absolutely not an ideal environment forbacteria to survive. That knowledge has createdthe production process applied for hard cheeses the milk, that slowly but surely perishes,

is as soon as possible after the milking transformed into in a product that for months, and even for years, is protected against bacterial invasion.

For bacterial life, cheese is too acid, too salt and too dry.Moreover cheese contains too little oxygen, so bacteria that could possibly survive without oxygen, could impossibly penetrate in the very dense cheese mass.

Bacteria that might have entered the cheese during its production, will certainly have perished by the time the cheese will be consumed, and more dangerous types will cause damages to the cheese, that will clearly show us this particular cheese is not �t for consumption.

If in an intact raw milk cheese would still contain any harmful infection, we would �nd it on the crust or close to it. Most of the hard cheeses are ‘coated’, but even ‘washed crusted-cheeses’ of the harder type

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don’t need to give any problem: the crust should alwaysbe removed carefully.

Mouldcrust cheese (grafted or natural �ora) will almost always show obviously when something is wrong. In circumstances that are favourable for ‘dangerousinfections’, most of the time coloured moulds (mostlydark coloured) will appear between the white mouldthat the cheese maker has developed on these cheeses.

Butter

Butter should legally consist of at least 83% of fat. Purefat is very resistant to degradation, and with the legallyguaranteed concentration of fat in our artisan butterwe are sure to deliver good quality. Problems willmostly arise in the water that remains in the butter.

Practically we notice that the water in artisan butter is generally well di�used, while problems occur where larger drops of water are concentrated between the fat of the butter. This is the so-called ‘loose �uid’.

This concentration of water is not a source forproblems in itself, but it becomes a problem ifit contains remains of milk or cream that carryharmful bacteria.

Today, this water and the remains of milk are systematically traced by most of the producers of artisan at the end of the production process. When such �uid is found, the butter is knead a second time, and rinsed beforehand if necessary.

Concerning the presence of harmful bacteria, the risks are very small. The �rst action in the production of butter is the acidi�cation of the cream or milk. The strong development of favourable lactic acid bacteria counters all opportunities for any harmful bacteria to eventually develop.

In many farms at the beginning of the acidi�cation pure cultures of favourable bacteria are added, to improve this process.

Management : Peter Van Kerkhove presidentJohan Van Waes treasurerKoen Dhoore secretary + educationRenaat Devreese redaction newsletterReinhilde Van de VondelStephan Blontrock Johan Withoeck

Vlaamse BeroepsgeitenhouderijStudy club of the professional goat keepers

List of members 2007

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NAME FARM EMAN

Aerts Wim en FienBlontrock Stephan en JohannaBrosens RonnyDe Beck Bart en Kathleen De Volle MaanDe Bebuysere Grégory en LieveDe Maeschalck Marc en Reinhilde t LeenhofDevreese Johan en Nadia KlokhofstedeDevreese Renaat en Katrien t ReigershofDhaene Paul en Veerle Kempense geitenkaas PolleHermans FilipKusters JefMertens Erwin en Bieke Stichting OmmersteynMoriau GeertSchep Herman en Cora La chèvrerie du Try MoussouxOverloop KarolienSierens Johan en KristienSjongers Luc en IngeThomas DirkVan den Beghe Marc en Martine De ZonnegaardVan Hulle Kurt en SabinneVan Kerkhove Peter en Monique Het EikenhofVan Leeuwen CeesVan Waes Johan en WendyVandeputte IneVermeulen Raf en MariaWithoek Johan en Veerle Spiegelhoeve

Dhoore Koen Govaerts Wim

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TELEPHONEADDRESS MAILADDRESS SALE AT THE FARMRue Léon Herman 26, 6953 Nassogne 083/314188 wimenfi en@yahoo.com neenPompestraat 32, 8460 Oudenburg 059/251113 blontrocksnauwaert@hotmail.com neenHovenierstraat 12, 2920 Kalmthout 03/6770366 ronny,brosens@telenet.be neenIjshoute 70, 9520 St.-Lievenshoutem 09/3623155 info@devollemaan.be jaRue de la lère Armée Américaine 27, 5100 Wepion neenrf.oohay@olnaveil Wezepoelstraat 162, 9240 Zele ajeb.fohneel@ofni930844/250Pardoenstraat 12, 8460 Westkerke-Oudenburg 0473/392670 johan.devreese@myonline.be neenPolderstraat 4, 8420 De Haan ajeb.fohsregier@ofni183632/950Eerselingenstraat 36, 2460 Lichtaart ajeb.ellop@ofni051655/410Oude Molenstraat 62, 9170 Sint-Gillis-Waas fam.hermans@scarlet.be neenSchootseweg 50, 2381 Weelde 014/655926 jozef.kusters@telenet.be neende Schiervellaan 5, 3650 Dilsen-Stokkem 0498/296339 erwin@stichting-ommersteyn.be ja

0249 ,04 seirdna L Aaigem 053/628108 geert.moriau@telenet.be jaTrymoussouse 15, 5600 Jamagne 071/668079 schepheerschop@hotmail.com neenLage Vosbergstraat 16, 2840 Rumst 0472/337627 karlien.overloop@gmail.com neen

1999 ,revjivelloM Adegem 0494/798443 sierens-declercq@telenet.be neenKlein-heidestraat 56, 3370 Neervelp 016/735406 inge_siongers@hotmail.com neenPottelbergstraat 54, 3470 Stok Kortenaken neen262777/610Meetkerkestraat 16, 8377 Zuienkerke 050/417618 mark.vandenberghe@euphonynet.be jaPrinsengoeddreef 37a, 9910 Knesselare 09/ 3751781 kurtvanhulle@belgacom.net neen

0619 ,812 taartske E Lokeren 09/348,78,88 info@geitenboerderij-eikenhof,be jaBukkestraat 35, 9890 Gavere 09/3845068 m.marchant@scarlet.be jaWindgat 21, 9090 Lochristie-Za� elare 09/3488883 van.waes.johan@telenet.be neenBettenhoek 5, 9506 Geraardsbergen 054/325822 bettenhoek@skynet.be neenHolstraat 34, 9170 Sint-Gillis-Waas 0473/487005 fam.vrmln@skynet.be neenSpiegelstraat 4a, 9940 Ertvelde 09/3572747 spiegelhoeve@hotail.com ja

Bruisbeke 11, 9520 St. Lievens-houtem 053/630049 dhoore.koen@fulladsl.be secretaris + vorming 0322 ,4 taartsDeg Bauberg 0477/774695 wim.govaerts@bioconsult.be bedrijfsbegeleiding

Manifesto in defence of van de rauwmelkse kaas

1. Raw-milk cheese is more than a wonderfulfood, it is a deeply embedded expression of

a way of life. It is a culture, a heritage anda cherished landscape. And it is under threatof extinction.

2. Under threat because the values it expressesare in opposition to the sanitation andhomogenization of mass produced foods.

3. We call on all food-loving citizens of the worldto respond now to the defense of the unpasteurizedcheese tradition. A defense of a food that hasfor hundreds of years inspired, given pleasure andprovided sustenance but is now being insidiouslyundermined by the sterile hand of global hygienecontrols.

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4. We call for an end to all discriminatoryregulations from the European Union,World Trade organization, United States’ Food and Drug Administration and othergovernment institutions that needlessly restrictcitizens’ freedom of choice to purchase thesefoods, and threaten to destroy the livelihood ofthe artisan craftsmen who produce them.

5. We deplore attempts by regulatory authorities toimpose unattainable standards of production, inthe name of protecting human health.

6. We believe that such impositions will have the adverse

unpasteurized dairy products is destroyed byover-zealous sterilization procedures. So will the healthof human beings be destroyed through a diet of sterilefood.

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Without any challenge, our immune system willfailand our medication become ine�ective.Moreover the unique �avor and aroma of thecheese are conserved by non-pasteurization.

7. We therefore call upon those who have it in theirpower to safeguard the diversity and complexityof our regional foods and the health and stabilityof our rural communities to act now and ensurea �exible, fair and appropriate regulatoryframework; sensible controls and a positivedisposition concerning the future.

8. Be aware – that once the knowledge, skills andcommitment of this culture have been lost, theycan never be regained.

www.slowfoodvlaanderen.be

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