History of Milk

The origins

The history of milk and milk products is linked to the history of man and dates back to the remotest of times, from when man began to domesticate animals and then raise them. Already 8,000 years ago the population of Mesopotamia tried to domesticate milk-bearing animals and it is reasonable to think that already then man tried to use and work the milk for human consumption. Recently a group of archaeologists found in Troina in Sicily one of the most antique “agriculture companies” in the Mediterranean dating back to the Bronze Age (about 6,000 years ago). In Piadena (Cremona) researchers found a terracotta strainer dating back 3,500 years that was probably used for the draining of the rennet.

The legend about the birth of cheese

It is still not clear how man discovered rennet and then how to produce cheese. As an explanation several legends have risen. The most well-known is that of an Arab merchant who had to cross the desert and brought with him some food, including milk. For the transportation he used a sack made from the dried out stomach of a sheep. The movement during the trip along with the heat and the enzymes that remained on the sides of the sheep’s stomach are said to have turned the milk acidic and solidified the proteins present inside. And that is how the rennet is said to have been born. Greek mythology has also occupied itself with the discovery of cheese, attributing to the nymphs – who are said to have taught Aristeo, son of Apollo – the art of making rennet and transforming milk. It is anyway probable that the discovery of chess was made by accident and it came about in an attempt to transport and conserve milk for long periods of time.

Roman civilization

The milk consumed by our ancestors came prevalently from goats, sheep and donkey. The Romans had an important role in the history of milk, introducing cow’s milk and perfecting the technique for working its derivatives and then introducing them throughout its empire in the north of Italy, Gallia, Germany and England.

Procedures for treating milk

Beginning at the end of the 19th Century techniques were developed to eliminate the germs present in milk so as to increase its life. Thanks to the discoveries of the French doctor Louis Pasteur, who in 1865 was searching for methods to stop the smallpox epidemic, today milk is heated to temperatures high enough to kill the microbes. The application of pasteurization of milk was proposed for the first time by Franz von Soxhlet in 1886. In the 1920s a significant amount of pasteurized milk began to be produced. And the royal decree on hygiene is from 1929. Soon began the production of pasteurized milk in glass bottles.

The pasteurization ensures the elimination of pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins, drastically reduces the microbic environment and maintains most nutritional properties of milk. Milk for direct consumption is treated with rapid pasteurization HTST (High Temperature Short Time). The milk, after being slightly heated, is brought to a temperature of 76 degrees Celsius, for pasteurized milk, and 84 degrees Celsius for long-life milk, for at least 15 seconds. This kills about 95 percent of the bacteria. To slow down the growth of the remaining bacteria, the milk is immediately cooled to 4 degrees Celsius.

The sterilization, known as UHT (Ultra High Temperature) treatment, ensures the complete elimination of bacteria and spores. Generally, the milk is heated to 140-150 degrees Celsius using water steam for 2-3 seconds. After treatment, the milk is cooled to 18° C. This treatment, introduced in Sixties, allows preserving the nutritional values and organoleptic qualities. UHT milk can be conserved for up to three months.