3 ms·
On the face of it, it is easy to say "it's just milk, it all tastes the same", but there are significant differences in how milk is produced in the US compared
by mryan 12y ago
On the face of it, it is easy to say "it's just milk, it all tastes the same", but there are significant differences in how milk is produced in the US compared to the EU.
Most US-made milk is produced using genetically engineered growth hormones (rBGH) which are banned in the EU as they are believed to increase the risk of cancer. It would not be legal to sell US milk in the EU (or Canada) for health reasons. That, and other differences in production methods, could go some way towards explaining the perceived superiority.
- dworin 12y agoI'm skeptical. Less than 20% of milk produced in the US uses rBGH, and most health organizations, including in Canada and Europe, agree that milk from rBGH/rBST cows is safe for humans. The reason it's banned in the EU and Canada is because it's a health risk for cows, not people. And the reason you're not likely to get US fresh milk in those countries has more to do with transportation costs than production standards. If I had to guess, I'd say the most likely reasons for flavor differences are 1) different pasteurization techniques 2) fat content 3) consumption temperature (you can't taste sugars as well when they're cold).
- BinaryIdiot 12y agoI could understand bread factoring in but a growth hormone used in a very low number of cattle in the United States? That doesn't really make sense. It doesn't scale to fit the answer previously provided that I am skeptical of.