Notice a Funny Taste in Milk Lately?

It has happened three times lately: A funny taste in the organic milk we bought. Twice, this has happened with Horizon, and once with Organic Valley. Yesterday, the milk tasted as though chicken broth were mixed in with it. Very strange, and not a sour/spoiled taste. I googled a bit and found that a number of people have had this problem with all types of milk, but particularly with organic brands. Theories getting some play were: 1) that new processes are being used in pasteurization or cleaning tankers that may affect the taste; 2) that organic milk just "tastes different;" 3) that there is some leaching of the plastic containers into the milk, affecting the taste. Regarding this last theory, It seems to me that food grade plastic should not leach. However, my husband went out for a gallon of Oberweiss in glass, and there was not a problem.

It seems to me that if lamb from the salt marshes in France has a salt-marshy taste (and it does,) then milk should taste of whatever the cows are eating. In Chicago, there's that problem with an algae bloom in the lake making all the tap water smell offensive at certain times of the year. Couldn't some vegetal variation be at the root (sorry) of this?

Has anyone else noticed this problem?

Josephine wrote: 3) that there is some leaching of the plastic containers into the milk, affecting the taste. Regarding this last theory, It seems to me that food grade plastic should not leach. However, my husband went out for a gallon of Oberweiss in glass, and there was not a problem.

Bingo! Back when I used to drink milk, I could detect the taste of plastic every time we bought milk in those plastic bottles. Once I banned plastic containers from our fridge, the off taste went away for good. No one else seemed to taste the difference and I was nearly convinced I was imagining it, except for the fact that I could identify plastic jugged milk 100% of the time in a bind taste test.

stevez wrote:Bingo! Back when I used to drink milk, I could detect the taste of plastic every time we bought milk in those plastic bottles. Once I banned plastic containers from our fridge, the off taste went away for good. No one else seemed to taste the difference and I was nearly convinced I was imagining it, except for the fact that I could identify plastic jugged milk 100% of the time in a bind taste test.

Steve, we are going to have to give you a new LTH Superhero name!

And, yes, it could be the plastic, but why would the aseptic container (juice box) milk from Organic Valley also taste strange? And why would it smell like chicken broth?
Do you happen to remember the "bouquet" of the plastic-containered milk?

Let me also raise the issue of month-long expiration periods. I don't drink much milk (except in coffee) and yet, it's only recently that I've noticed such broad windows for milk viability. Is this a new thing?

Aha--look what I found: this explanation from the blog Food Renegade. Ultra-high temperature processing is supposed to affect the fragile proteins in the milk, altering the flavor so much that different strategies, including the addition of flavonoid compounds have been added to the UHT milk to improve the flavor. A "burned" taste is mentioned. (Could that be my "chicken broth taste"?) Food Renegade's post is worth reading, as the blogger seems to be careful about sources and citations. The post also raises special concerns about UHT processing for those with leaky gut.

This morning, I am drinking a latte made with Oberweiss. I see from their website that they do not use the UHT process. Problem solved!

Josephine wrote:Do you happen to remember the "bouquet" of the plastic-containered milk?

Josephine wrote:A "burned" taste is mentioned. (Could that be my "chicken broth taste"?)

Yes, it was a plasticy burned taste. I felt it was more like a butterscotch-gone-bad flavor. It very well could be the processing is to blame, because the cure for me was to switch to Oberweis glass bottles. I always thought it was the glass that made the difference, but maybe it was simply the way the milk was pasteurized.

Yes, it could be described as butterscotch. Butter and chicken fat have a similar quality. Oberweiss to the rescue!

Josephine, you might also try Kalona or Kilgus. Kalona is organic. Kilgus is not. Both come in plastic bottles, but I've never noticed any off flavors.

Josephine wrote:Yes, it could be described as butterscotch. Butter and chicken fat have a similar quality. Oberweiss to the rescue!

I've never noticed this taste before, but this seems like it is either from the pasteurization process or from UV rays causing oxidization in the milk. See http://www.foodsci.uoguelph.ca/dairyedu/grading.html

Most organic milk (especially Big Organic milk, such as Horizon and Organic Valley) is ultra-pasteurized. I find it to have a funny, cooked taste (not chicken broth, but I could see how the two tastes may intertwine). Try pasteurized milk instead.

aschie30 wrote:Most organic milk (especially Big Organic milk, such as Horizon and Organic Valley) is ultra-pasteurized. I find it to have a funny, cooked taste (not chicken broth, but I could see how the two tastes may intertwine). Try pasteurized milk instead.

Organic Valley milk is not ultra pasteurized.

Kennyz wrote:

aschie30 wrote:Most organic milk (especially Big Organic milk, such as Horizon and Organic Valley) is ultra-pasteurized. I find it to have a funny, cooked taste (not chicken broth, but I could see how the two tastes may intertwine). Try pasteurized milk instead.

Organic Valley milk is not ultra pasteurized.

The Organic Valley milk in aseptic containers (juice boxes) must be ultra-pasteurized, since it's shelf-stable. That's what we had trouble with. The strange thing is that when in France this year, we bought aseptic-container milk and had no trouble. Odd.

Josephine wrote:

Kennyz wrote:

aschie30 wrote:Most organic milk (especially Big Organic milk, such as Horizon and Organic Valley) is ultra-pasteurized. I find it to have a funny, cooked taste (not chicken broth, but I could see how the two tastes may intertwine). Try pasteurized milk instead.

Organic Valley milk is not ultra pasteurized.

The Organic Valley milk in aseptic containers (juice boxes) must be ultra-pasteurized, since it's shelf-stable. That's what we had trouble with. The strange thing is that when in France this year, we bought aseptic-container milk and had no trouble. Odd.

gotcha - didn't even know they made those. Regular OV milk in the cooler case is not UP. Horizon is.

I recently identified a new-to-me brand of milk that has all the right stuff: Kalona Supernatural. Organic, Vat-Pasteurized at 145 degrees F, Grass-Fed Non-Homogenized, Grade A and Midwestern. The dairy is Kalona Organics of Kalona, IA. Good stuff, very good stuff. Available at Fox & Obel and, I assume, elsewhere in Chicago. Also available at Dierberg's in St. Louis.

Josephine wrote:I recently identified a new-to-me brand of milk that has all the right stuff: Kalona Supernatural. Organic, Vat-Pasteurized at 145 degrees F, Grass-Fed Non-Homogenized, Grade A and Midwestern. The dairy is Kalona Organics of Kalona, IA. Good stuff, very good stuff. Available at Fox & Obel and, I assume, elsewhere in Chicago. Also available at Dierberg's in St. Louis.

I mentioned this above. I'm glad you like it. It's also available at Whole Foods.

Hi- Kalona is available at Whole Foods as well. It is good milk, but I still like Oberweis better. Hope this helps, Nancy

Traders point Creamery is my favorite milk. I'm like Josephine, I don't really drink milk, but this one tastes sweet and maybe a bit grassy, the way old poems & the Bible refer to milk.

pairs4life wrote:Traders point Creamery is my favorite milk. I'm like Josephine, I don't really drink milk, but this one tastes sweet and maybe a bit grassy, the way old poems & the Bible refer to milk.

pairs4life- You have a way with words! (And I am still groovin' on those boiled peanuts and fresh Muscadine grapes from the LTH picnic 2 years ago) Thanks ever so much!

Josephine wrote:

pairs4life wrote:Traders point Creamery is my favorite milk. I'm like Josephine, I don't really drink milk, but this one tastes sweet and maybe a bit grassy, the way old poems & the Bible refer to milk.

pairs4life- You have a way with words! (And I am still groovin' on those boiled peanuts and fresh Muscadine grapes from the LTH picnic 2 years ago) Thanks ever so much!

This year I canned the boiled peanuts. I'm in heaven because with this there can be boiled peanuts year round. "Big-Ups" to Cathy2 for being my pusher on canning.

I like all of Trader's Points products. But they are expensive!

Darren72 wrote:I like all of Trader's Points products. But they are expensive!

Yes. But assuming you don't drink milk, then it's okay. Now if I was feeding a bunch of milk-sucking soccer playing kids that drank it like it was water, that would be different. I really want to make my yogurt with that milk but like you said, it's expensive.

I make yoghurt with Kalona 2 % and a little non-fat powdered milk and find that is still cheaper than buying commercial (good) stuff.

My yoghurt maker makes 6 6oz containers at a time for 36 oz total. That equals 9 4oz containers of a commercial brand. The commercial ones sell for anywhere between 75c and about 98c each. That comes to between $6.75 and $8.82 total.

I use 4 1/2 cups of milk to make 36oz of yoghurt. Even if a 1/2 gallon of milk cost $5, I'm way ahead of the game since I'm using less than 3 bucks worth of milk.

Hi- On rare occasion you can get Stonyfield or another good brand on sale at Whole Foods for 50 cents a piece, and yogurt is always under 40 cents at Aldi's all the time. I sed to make my own yogurt, but I quit doing it, because I got lazy, and I buy plain yogurt by the quart usually at Whole Foods, and I rarely spend more than $2.50 a quart, and if I have a coupon, I can get Mountain High or Brown Cow for $2 a quart or less sometimes.

A few days ago, I bought a half gallon of milk at Jewel. The milk was called Nature's Farm, and it was on sale for $3.00 a half gallon, and they had dollar coupons there, which brought the price down to $2. Oberweis is my all time favorite milk, but right now my budget will not allow me to buy it. The Nature's Farm milk tasted actually much better than conventional store brand milk. The milk is hormone free, and all the milk comes from small family farms. The only thing I don't like about it is that the milk is ultra pasteurized. It is located in the same area as the organic milk at Jewel, but this milk is not organic. It is not located with the store brand milk. Hope this helps, Nancy

Best find in a pandemic for me has been the little boxes of shelf-stable milk, both Horizon, and Organic Valley.

I am not a milk drinker but I use milk in cooking. This is easier than freezing milk or cream (assuming I am not making ice cream).

I bought cases from Amazon and Costco. They are conveniently 6-8 oz boxes. I usually keep one box in the fridge for cold milk purposes, usually cereal.

I doubt I will go back to buying refrigerated milk aside from making ice cream or its on sale and I need vats for specific cooking applications.

I also use milk only for cooking and cereal. My approach has been to get a 3-pack of Kirkland brand half-gallon organic milk cartons from Costco. Needs to be refrigerated, but the closed containers keep for months, and even opened a half-gallon will last 3-4 weeks+.

Really? Is this regular, non-UHT milk? Maybe I'm just more sensitive to the smell and taste of milk, but an opened container remains good generally, at most, a week past the date printed on it, which generally means about 2-2 1/2 weeks from when I buy it. That's best case in my experience. When I worked in a coffeeshop in the 90s, we had unopened milk gallons that would spoil within five days of the "sell by" date. An opened gallon lasting months sounds pretty outside my experience.

It is ultra. I’m rather taste insensitive with milk, e.g. I do not detect the “cooked” flavor some attribute to UHT process, but I’m either mixing it with corn chex or cooking something so YMMV. Carton above was delivered via Instacart on April 20.

pairs4life wrote:Best find in a pandemic for me has been the little boxes of shelf-stable milk, both Horizon, and Organic Valley.

I’ve bought Organic Valley milk in those tiny cubelets and have been quite happy with the milk itself, the shelf-stability and the small package size. I’m getting toward the end of a case right now. However, I find the amount of waste generated for such a small quantity of milk to be unconscionable, compounded by the fact that those Tetra Pak composite containers are virtually unrecyclable.

Bok Choy Jr wrote:I also use milk only for cooking and cereal. My approach has been to get a 3-pack of Kirkland brand half-gallon organic milk cartons from Costco. Needs to be refrigerated, but the closed containers keep for months, and even opened a half-gallon will last 3-4 weeks+.

Thanks, that’s very useful information. I don’t use a lot of milk, and rarely can finish a gallon, so this could be the perfect solution for me. I’ll definitely try this stuff one of these days.

Rene G wrote:those Tetra Pak composite containers are virtually unrecyclable.

My understanding is that while Tetra Pak containers are not recyclable everywhere, you can recycle them via Chicago's residential blue carts. My wife recently confirmed with the city. That may not be the case if you have a private waste management company or are located outside the city, so be sure to check with your provider.

Bok Choy Jr wrote:

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It is ultra. I’m rather taste insensitive with milk, e.g. I do not detect the “cooked” flavor some attribute to UHT process, but I’m either mixing it with corn chex or cooking something so YMMV. Carton above was delivered via Instacart on April 20.

Ah, UHT milk. That makes a lot more sense.

egghead wrote:

Rene G wrote:those Tetra Pak composite containers are virtually unrecyclable.

My understanding is that while Tetra Pak containers are not recyclable everywhere, you can recycle them via Chicago's residential blue carts. My wife recently confirmed with the city. That may not be the case if you have a private waste management company or are located outside the city, so be sure to check with your provider.

Phew b/c I wash mine and that’s what the recycling magnet on my fridge says.