In the supermarket, transparent bags of milk and all kinds of fresh milk, pure milk placed together

Article/Photo Chen Zeyun

Milk has become a daily consumer goods. Enter the supermarket, what type of milk will you choose to buy? Bottled, boxed, bagged? A kind of pure milk packaged in transparent plastic bags, with simple packaging and rich milk flavor, has been sold in major supermarkets in Guangzhou. It has once become an "Internet celebrity milk". With the slogan of "zero addition" and "safer", can these transparent bags of milk really achieve "return to the original taste of milk"?

With "no addition" as the selling point

Yesterday, the reporter visited a number of supermarkets in Guangzhou convenience stores, saw transparent bags of milk and all kinds of fresh milk, pure milk placed together. In a chain supermarket in Zhujiang New Town, the reporter saw that there were two brands of transparent bag milk for sale, one of which had a slogan on the outer package that was "pure milk 100% native milk", "zero added safer" and "return to the original taste of milk". The price of this milk is 3 yuan /180ml, which is basically the same as the price of pure milk in boxes of other brands. Another clear bag of milk is priced at 3.50 yuan /180ml and is currently being promoted at 3 yuan. According to a supermarket official, this kind of milk is "very popular with customers" because of its novel packaging and mellow flavor.

Reporter login online mall found that the top sales of transparent milk types at least seven or eight.

Data show that in the second half of 2016, transparent milk was first born in Cody Dairy and quickly became popular as soon as it was launched. Since then, New Hope, Junlebao, Wandashan, and even Mengniu have joined the camp of transparent milk. The main publicity point of these brands is basically around "no addition" and "no antibiotics", and many consumers are just aiming at "fresh" and "pure natural" and choose to buy.

Packaging caused safety controversy

However, along with the popularity, the safety of transparent bags of milk has also attracted controversy. Zhu Danpeng, a Chinese food industry analyst, told Yangcheng Evening News that the crux of the controversy is that milk needs to be protected from light, but transparent bags are difficult to achieve complete protection from light, so it is difficult to ensure the nutrition and safety of the final product.

It is reported that milk contains riboflavin and porphyrin and other light-sensitive substances, under the excitation of light will produce reactive oxygen species. These reactive oxygen species react with proteins, vitamins and fats to produce ingredients with poor flavor. Especially the reaction with amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids, will produce a variety of aldehydes, ketones, methionine sulfoxide and dimethyl disulfide, but may destroy the original taste of milk.

Reporters saw that these transparent packaging of milk packaging, are written "strictly prohibited in the sun to dry, otherwise it will destroy the taste." What is worrying is that, in addition to daylight, fluorescent lights and LED lights in supermarkets may also affect the quality of milk.

"Transparent packaging of milk may be a cost-saving consideration for companies, but also a marketing strategy," Zhu said. However, he also pointed out that feedback from the industry shows that because it cannot guarantee nutrition and safety, "transparent bag packaging is not in line with the trend and direction of innovation and upgrading in the dairy industry, and the vitality of such Internet celebrity products may not be too strong."

Some insiders said that businesses to "no addition" and "no antibiotics" as a selling point, which is actually the production of pure milk (except flavored milk, etc.) should follow the basic guidelines. And the development of the dairy industry to today, opaque sterile plastic bags, cartons, etc., is the progress of technology.

Zhu Danpeng suggested that when consumers buy packaged milk, they should carefully look at the product execution standards and product types or classifications marked on the package, and do not be confused by the business's propaganda.

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