A2 milk or “primal milk”. Milking the superfood trend

Geschatte leestijd: 4 minutenAbout three years ago, I wrote about the commercial interests and research behind A2 milk. Now it has come to the Netherlands.

Primitive milk

The name “Primitive Milk” is a wonderful example of the commerce involved in the introduction of A2 milk. When I wrote an article three years ago about a possible relationship between milk and diabetes, A2 milk was mentioned.

There are various studies on a possible specific culprit in milk (and the risk of) diabetes. These point to the influence of a type of protein found in milk. As mentioned in part I, 80% of the protein in milk is casein. The casein can then be subdivided into different types, including Beta-casein. Originally, there was one type of Beta-casein called A2, but thousands of years ago a natural mutation caused some cows to produce milk with a different variant of Beta-casein, called A1 Beta-casein.

The company from New Zealand, A2 Corporation, saw commercial opportunities in this. They test cows for this mutation and then breed with the cows that do not have this mutation. The name “primitive milk” later invented is a nice example of the commerce behind this product. In the Netherlands, it is supplied to the supermarket chains Plus and Coop by the company Blu Cow. Companies that saw big bucks in this milk, which apparently has not been without success for the A2 Corporation (now “A2 Milk Company”). Perhaps it is handy for Dutch investors to know that it took A2 Corporation 11 years to make a profit after numerous lawsuits over contracts with dairy farmers and unsubstantiated health claims.

Good for whom?

In the previously written article, I warned about the interests of the researchers who publish data showing the dangers of A1 milk, or ‘regular’ milk. I wrote that sometimes you have to search quite a bit to finally discover that the researchers themselves are shareholders or directors at A2 Corporation. A company that previously sued another dairy producer, Fonterra, because they believed they should point out the dangers of A1 milk. Not only a brilliant marketing stunt, but also a way to work with dairy farmers who still had agreements with Fonterra.

Looking at independent research, the health claims about A2 milk cannot or hardly be substantiated. Either there is no relationship between A1 milk and diabetes, or this connection is demonstrated using injections in the spinal canal of test animals. Quite different from oral intake. In the earlier article, I described studies that investigate a possible relationship between dairy intake and the risk of diabetes or insulin resistance. Some studies did not show this relationship. Other studies show a positive relationship between dairy intake and the risk of type I diabetes in babies, while in others, a negative relationship was shown between dairy intake and the risk of type II diabetes in people. In both cases, it cannot be demonstrated that this is due to the A1 protein in the dairy.

Expensive milk, sourly paid

A2 milk is expensive. To be able to guarantee that you only deliver A2 milk and not “contaminated” with A1 milk, you have to invest quite a bit. Yet farmers find this interesting.

I find a statement by one of the dairy farmers and suppliers of the supermarket chain Plus, which sells this A2 milk, typical.

I know people who say after drinking A2 milk: the vague stomach complaints are gone. Scientifically, it may not be substantiated, but I know many people who drive seventy kilometers out of their way to buy A2 milk at the farm shop… Bomers thinks that A2 milk can give an impulse to dairy farming in the Netherlands, which is in trouble due to low prices of regular milk and the costs of phosphate rights.

Oh, so that’s how it is. Milk is too cheap, so we come up with a more expensive variant while we cannot prove that it is better. That sounds familiar. Did they perhaps learn that trick from the supplement industry with its “improved” forms of creatine?

Now I can make cheap jokes like: “A2 milk, the highway to an empty wallet”. Or “Primitive milk is unnecessarily expensive. And that’s sour”. However, that won’t stop the paleo fans from running to Plus and Coop for “primitive milk”. Fits perfectly into their alley. “Milk, just like those cavemen drank!”

References

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8. nos.nl/artikel/2137209-oermelk-in-de-supermarkt-speltbrood-onder-de-zuivel.html
9. A2 Corporation Press Release 18 February 2011 A2 Corp Declares a Maiden Profit