Milk is an important part of the human diet. It provides protein, fat, calcium, and vitamin D, and for the youngest members of our population it is especially critical as a main source of many nutrients. But not all milk is created equal.
For nearly 15 years, studies have repeatedly shown that organic milk has a healthier nutritional profile. Organic milk contains more of the good omega 3 fatty acids, more antioxidants, and a higher nutrient mineral content than conventional milk. Dairy cows under organic management eat more grass than those under conventional management and that difference in their diet results in more nutrient-rich milk.
Now a study conducted by researchers at Emory University, in collaboration with The Organic Center, found that a majority of samples of conventional retail milk tested positive for residues of antibiotics – two of which are banned from dairy production — and currently used controversial pesticides. Organic milk showed no such contaminants. Residues of growth hormones in conventional milk were 20 times higher than in organic. The results of this important study were published online by the peer-reviewed public health journal Public Health Nutrition.
Highlights of the findings
Antibiotic residues were detected in 60% of conventional milk samples and none of the organic samples. Significantly, 37% of the conventional samples tested positive for sulfamethazine, and 26 percent for sulfathiazole, both of which have long been outlawed in lactating dairy cows. Furthermore, one of the conventional samples contained residue levels of amoxicillin that exceeded the federally-allowed limit.
Pesticide residues of chlorpyrifos, atrazine, permethrin, and more were found in 26% to 60% of conventional samples and none of the organic samples. Residues of the controversial and restricted-use pesticide chlorpyrifos showed up in 59% of the conventional samples.
To conduct the study, researchers out of Emory University tested for residues of currently used pesticides and antibiotics in U.S. milk purchased directly from store shelves, comparing conventional milk (35 samples across 18 brands) to organic milk (34 samples across 10 brands).
Because the overuse of antibiotics can increase resistance to those antibiotics and make them less effective for both humans and animals, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set limits on detectable levels of antibiotics in food. In this study, antibiotics were not found in organic samples, but were detected in 60% of conventional milk samples. Specifically, residues of amoxicillin, oxytetracycline, sulfamethazine, sulfadimethoxine, and sulfathiazole were all detected in conventional milk.
Importantly, residues of sulfamethazine were found in 37% of the conventional samples, and sulfathiazole in 26%. The use of both of these antibiotics for dairy cows has long been banned by the FDA due to concerns about the impact of sulfa drugs on human health. When cows are treated with sulfa drugs, residues of the drug show up in milk, and exposure to them can lead to health problems in humans. The biggest health concern is a life-threatening allergic reaction (acute hypersensitivity). About 2% of the general population is severely allergic to sulfa drugs. Outside of allergic reactions, there are many adverse side effects connected to the sulfonamide class of antibiotics.
People enjoy dairy in all places and in all situations, whether it’s a bowl of cereal and milk or yogurt and fruit at our breakfast table, cream with our coffee at the local coffee shop or cheese on our pizza at our favorite restaurant. Organic dairy is the No. 2 selling category in the U.S. organic industry, with products such as organic cheese, organic butter, organic sour cream all seeing greater sales as consumers seek out higher quality dairy products. And providing for all that organic dairy are more than 2,500 organic dairy farms across the nation.
What does organic dairy mean? Organic dairy farmers are required to adhere to the federal organic standards that ensure organic dairy is produced sustainably, with the health of the cows and the health of the consumers in mind. While there are a number of important distinctions between organic and conventional dairy, the main differences are related to what the cows eat, where they spend their time, and how they are treated if/when they get sick.
Organic dairy means no use of antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, GMO’s, or conventional pesticides. In organic dairy the health and natural behavior of cows are prioritized with holistic and preventative care practices as a primary management strategy. Organic cows are pasture-raised and grazed throughout the grazing season, and all livestock are fed an organic diet.
The significant findings of this study break new ground, and could be a guide to consumers wanting to choose the healthiest and cleanest milk for their families.
Be sure to browse our organic dairy selection from milk to butter, to cream to cheese and more on your next visit to Whitaker’s Natural Market.
