Dairy delights

Now's the time to make the switch to organic milk, cheese, butter and yogurt

Americans love dairy, and it's been a part of world cuisine for thousands of years. Cows, goats, sheep and yaks have been raised throughout history for their milk products, and the word "dairy" itself comes from the Middle English "dey," a female servant, since milking, butter-churning and cheese-making were always done by women. Nowadays, yak's milk isn't much of a commodity, and cheese and butter are made by modern processing plants, but the traditions remain strong. And for good reason: milk, cheese and yogurt are rich in vitamins and minerals, especially calcium. And since dairy is a complete protein, the reduced-fat and fat-free versions can be healthy alternatives to meat.

But all is not well in the world of dairy. As the advent of factory farming has turned the milk industry into a cash cow, all kinds of unnatural ingredients, including antibiotics, hormones and genetically modified organisms, have found their way into our once-revered dairy. And as more cows are raised on less land, humane treatment of animals is a growing concern.

Not-so-sacred Cows

The problem with milk is that cows normally graze on feed grown with pesticides, synthetic growth hormones and antibiotics, and may contain genetically modified organisms; no one's really sure of the effects of any of these practices on human health and the environment. "Yet labels don't reflect any of this, and the industry doesn't inform us of the potential consequences," says Elaine Lipson, author of The Organic Foods Sourcebook (NTC/Contemporary Books, 2001). "It's time for consumers to take the gloves off and reject food production methods that are inadequately tested for long-term consequences, and that are not fully disclosed on labels."

The organic solution

Until recently, consumers didn't have much of a choice. That changed with the implementation of the new federal National Organic Standards in April 2001. What this means is that cheese, ice cream, milk, cream and other products labeled 11 organic" must come from cows that have not been given hormones or antibiotics. The cows are fed a vegetarian diet that includes hay and grains like soybeans, corn, and oats, and is free of genetically modified organisms. Additionally, organic dairy products are processed separately from conventional dairy products, so there's no intermixing.

The rules further ensure humane treatment of animals. "The organic standard requires that all animals are treated according to their species' needs and behaviors," says Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association. "For cows or ruminants, that means they have to have access to outdoors and to pastures with green grass to eat. They can't be crowded or treated in any way that would cause them stress or harm." Because organic dairy means the animal has never been given antibiotics, farmers may use alternative treatments, even acupuncture and homeopathy. If a cow does get sick and must have antibiotics, the milk can't then be sold as organic.

And it's not just about avoiding nasty chemicals in our cottage cheese and ice cream. "Organic food is more than a foodstuff," says Timothy Griffin, dairy pool resource coordinator for Organic Valley Family of Farms, a large farmerowned cooperative. "It's also about developing a sustainable method of agriculture that will benefit us for years to come."

For more information on organic dairy, visit the Organic Trade Association's website at www.ota.com.

AN UDDER DISASTER:

Bovine Growth Hormone

Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is a synthetic hormone used to increase milk production in commercially raised cows. Even though it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), rBGH continues to be the subject of much controversy. Cows injected with rBGH are subject to more infection, so they're likely to be given larger amounts of drugs and antibiotics, which can then be passed on in milk. And though the risks of rBGH to humans aren't known, its opponents say the hormone could cause accelerated growth in infants and children, and could have other dangerous health effects.

The effect of rBGH on cows is another consideration. Cows injected with rBGH develop frequent udder infections that can leave pus and other discharge in milk and cause infertility, internal bleeding and other maladies. Current federal laws don't require that dairy products from cows treated with rBGH be labeled as such. Vermont is the first state to require rBGH labeling on milk products at the point of sale. The best way to avoid rBGH is to choose only organic dairy products.

CHEESE, PLEASE

Making cheese is a true art, as it requires turning plain old milk into the complex foodstuff we know and love. Cheese is basically made by adding a curdling agent to milk to coagulate the solids, then pressing out the remaining liquid (whey), cooking the solids (curds) and aging the resulting cheese until it's ready to eat. The actual process is more complex, with a number of factors that account for the delicious variations in the taste and texture of different cheeses, including the kind of milk used and length of time cured.

Organic cheeses differ in the milk used, the curdling agents and processing conditions. They start with organic milk. And while commercial cheeses use rennet, a product derived from calves, to curdle milk, organic cheeses instead use microbial enzymes instead to produce a more "vegetarian" cheese.

NO WHEY, MAN!

Organic milk products are a great way to avoid hormones, antibiotics and other "nasties" you might find in other dairy products. But if you're avoiding dairy for any reason, you have lots of milk-free alternatives at your fingertips. Try soy-, rice-, oat-, nut-- and grain-based milk, cream, yogurt, sour cream, ice cream and cheeses with your breakfast cereal, in your java and on your sandwiches. Most dairy alternatives are available in organic varieties, and in low-fat, fat-free and calcium-fortified versions. As for butter, margarine isn't a good substitute, since it contains trans fatty acids, which have been implicated in increased risk of heart disease. Instead, try a non-hydrogenated spread that's free of trans-fatty acids. Several varieties are available, including a soy-based version and an olive oil spread.

RUNNING FROM DAIRY:

The Facts About Lactose Intolerance

If you're one of the many Americans who can't tolerate lactose, milk in any form can provoke a variety of unpleasant reactions. Lactose, the primary carbohydrate in milk, accounts for more than half of the total non-fat solids in milk. Many people lack sufficient lactase, the enzyme that breaks lactose down into its component sugars, and are unable to digest milk products properly. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include stomach cramps, bloating, gas, increased mucus production and diarrhea. For many, it's actually the protein, casein, that causes most of the problems attributed to lactose. In any case, here are some tips: Try eating dairy in smaller amounts; then it may not cause any problems.

Lactose-digesting enzyme products can make diary easier to digest, and lactase-fortified milk products can help as well.

Goat milk, yogurt and kefir seem to be easier to digest. Aged cheese and cottage cheese contain less lactose. Ice cream with a higher fat content can be easier to tolerate.

AS THE WORLD CHURNS

It's thought that butter was "discovered" by nomadic peoples and shepherds who carried whole milk in animal skin containers on their journeys. When they opened their pouches after a long, bumpy trip, they found that the milk had turned into a rich, creamy mass we call butter and a liquid we now know as buttermilk.

This is what happened in those animal skin pouches: as the camels bumped along across the desert, air was incorporated into the whole milk. Membranes that keep the globules of fat apart in the milk were softened and then broken, and the fat began to coagulate. Lecithin from the ruptured membranes helped the fat globules mass together until they came together in a creamy solid, leaving sweet, light buttermilk behind.

The organic butter you buy in the grocery store is usually made from mechanically churned cream. European-style butter is cultured instead of churned, to slowly ripen the cream, creating a richer butter flavor and, some say, making it easier to digest.

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A CULTURAL THING

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Fermented milk products like yogurt and kefir have a long and exotic history. They were routinely used thousands of years ago for their tangy flavor and health benefits. Legend has it that in the 16th century, King Francois of France summoned a young Turkish doctor to cure his chronic diarrhea. The doctor came equipped with sheep and his secret recipe for yogurt, and the king was soon well on his way to recovery.

In the start of the 20th century, Nobel-prize winning biologist Elie Metchnikoff suggested that lactobacilli - strains of friendly bacteria found in cultured milk products - could ease certain gastrointestinal ailments. Researchers have pinpointed a variety of health benefits from the friendly bacteria in yogurt and kefir, including treatment of gastrointestinal disorder, enhanced immune function and possible cholesterol-lowering and anti-cancer effects.

Yogurt is made from milk that's been fermented by the bacteria responsible for the health benefits of yogurt, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, using specific times and temperatures. Look for the terms "living yogurt cultures" or "contains active cultures" on yogurt labels to make sure these bacteria aren't just lying around.

Kefir, a thick and creamy, slightly bubbly milk beverage, gets its name from the Turkish word meaning "good feeling." It's made by fermenting milk with a complex mixture of bacteria, including various species of lactobacilli. The compounds produced by these friendly organisms lend kefir its characteristic fizzy and sweet/tangy flavor. Try it chilled, in fruit smoothies or as the base for dips and salad dressings.

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BEING DAIRY CAREFUL

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Since milk, organic or not, is so highly perishable, it has to be handled with a certain amount of care. While some believe that raw milk is better, since it contains all the vitamins and enzymes that make milk easier to digest are killed, most states require pasteurization to kill harmful bacteria. Many organic dairy producers take dairy care several steps further. Most avoid the use of chlorine to bleach milk cartons, since elemental chlorine can cause the formation of dioxin.