Pure milk was found to contain propylene glycol and failed to meet the standards! Can we still drink milk with confidence?

On June 30, the term "Xinjiang Maiqun pure milk failed to meet standards" once topped the Weibo hot search list. According to China Quality News, the Qingyuan County Market Supervision Bureau of Zhejiang Province recently announced the results of the 4th food sampling inspection in 2022, stating that two batches of pure milk produced by Maiqun Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Maiqun") failed to meet standards, and the unqualified item was propylene glycol.

Image from: Weibo

What is propylene glycol? Why does it appear in pure milk? What are the hazards? Can we still drink milk safely?

1

Pure milk contains propylene glycol, what's the problem?

Propylene glycol is an emulsifier, thickener and stabilizer. However, according to Chinese standards, propylene glycol can be used in flour products, but not in dairy products.

Image from: GB2760

Its ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, can be used in dairy products, but does not include sterilized milk (commonly known as pure milk).

Therefore, this Maiqiu'er pure milk is definitely in violation of regulations and is considered to be using food additives beyond the scope.

2

Where does propylene glycol come from?

#1

Other products brought in

Maiquer is a listed company with dairy product revenue of 730 million and baked goods revenue of 260 million in 2021. Their factory produces pastries, baked goods, etc., and propylene glycol is used in pastries and baked goods.

If the manufacturer also produces other products that can legally use propylene glycol or flavors and fragrances, then the pure milk production may share some equipment with these products. If the equipment is not cleaned when switching, propylene glycol may be introduced into the milk.

However, in this case it usually means that a portion of the product will be "contaminated" after the product is switched, and there will not be a large amount of product contamination.

#2

Added flavor

Many netizens on the Internet say that this milk is very fragrant. In its official flagship store, one of the main selling points of the product is "natural milk fragrance, rich and mellow". So it may also be because it uses flavors in its production, and propylene glycol is a solvent for many flavors.

If this is the case, it is a violation. You should know that pure milk is sterilized milk and it is not allowed to add flavors.

Image from: GB25190

Of course, these are all speculations at the moment, so let's look forward to the results of the follow-up investigation.

In fact, I have always been against people choosing milk based on its milky flavor. Many people often say that a certain type of milk smells particularly good, so they want to buy it. However, it is too easy to be overwhelmed by flavors. The milk you buy that smells very good may have been flavored. The key is to look at the nutrition label and ingredient list, and pay attention to whether its raw materials are mainly milk (or milk powder) and the protein and fat content.

Image from: freepik.com

3

How harmful is propylene glycol?

Many people expressed their concerns after seeing this news. Many people left messages saying that they had just stocked up a lot during the 618 shopping event, and some were still waiting for delivery. How harmful is propylene glycol? Can we still drink milk safely?

Propylene glycol may seem like an unfamiliar chemical substance, but in fact, propylene glycol is very similar to the alcohol (ethanol) that we often drink in our daily lives.

Propylene glycol is a close relative of alcohol. The two have close origins and similar structures.

If you consume a large amount of propylene glycol, the symptoms are similar to those of drinking too much alcohol, such as dizziness, feeling unsteady, etc. You can understand it as being almost drunk.

Toxicology data show:

The median lethal dose of propylene glycol in rats is 6423 mg per kilogram of body weight. A study fed rats with food containing 200-2100 mg of propylene glycol per kilogram for 104 consecutive weeks, and no animal deaths or obvious abnormalities were found.

The Food Additives JECFA of the Codex Alimentarius Commission has conducted a safety assessment on it and concluded that its appropriate daily intake (ADI) value is no more than 0-25 mg per kilogram of body weight. For a person weighing 60 kilograms, this is equivalent to a daily intake of no more than 1.5 mg, and there will be no problem eating it every day or year after year.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes that when the intake of propylene glycol reaches or approaches the lethal dose (more than 6 grams per kilogram of body weight), it may cause kidney damage in some animal experiments. However, given that humans usually consume very low amounts of propylene glycol, there is no evidence that propylene glycol will cause harm to humans. The FDA has rated propylene glycol as GRAS, which means generally recognized as safe.

The amount of propylene glycol detected in these two milks is 0.32 g/kg. According to toxicological data, a person weighing 60 kg needs to drink 4.7 kg a day to be "over the limit", and a child weighing 15 kg needs to drink 1.25 kg a day. Think about it, how much can you drink?

In general, this milk is indeed an unqualified product, but if you drink milk normally, you don't have to worry about what propylene glycol will do to you. So, don't worry too much and wait for the birth with peace of mind. If you are really worried, you can buy other brands of milk.

Image from: freepik.com

4

How to choose milk?

Since you have already bought it, don’t waste it and drink it with confidence.

You can try buying other brands next time, but it is better to choose milk from big brands, as the quality is usually more guaranteed.

In addition to pure milk, yogurt and cheese are also good choices.

Source: Nutritionist Ruan Guangfeng