Cornell University dairy scientists found “no meaningful differences” in the nutritional value of conventionally produced milk, milk produced without rBst or organic milk.
The scientists reported their findings in the May 2010 issue of the Journal of Dairy Science.
The study compared 292 retail milk samples from the lower 48 contiguous states, looking specifically at fatty acid composition of the three types of milk. Organic milk was higher in saturated fat and lower in monosaturated fats. Organic milk was also slightly lower in trans fatty acids and higher in conjugated linoleic acids.
“From a public health perspective, the direction of some of these differences would be considered desirable and for others would be considered undesirable,” say the authors. “However, without exception, the magnitudes of the differences in milk fatty acid composition among milk label types were minor and of no physiological importance…. There were no meaningful differences that would affect public health and all milks were similar in nutritional quality and wholesomeness.”
