Fresh milk that lasts 90 DAYS: Scientific breakthrough means Aussies could soon be able to keep milk in their fridge for months
- Aussies will be able to drink fresh milk that’s been in the fridge for three months
- A Queensland food tech company is behind the world-first innovation
- The Queensland government has given Naturo $250,000 in funding for the milk
- The patented technology is set to revolutionise the $585 billion dairy industry
Australians will be able to drink fresh milk that’s been in the fridge for three months, thanks to a food technology company’s world-first breakthrough.
Naturo Pty Ltd, from the Sunshine Coast, is behind the revolutionary innovation, which is set to bring in a fortune in exports.
The patented technology is able to kill the bacterium that makes untreated milk harmful to drink, and allows for refrigerated milk to stay fresh for 91 days.
The innovation has been given the green light after being independently tested and validated by industry regulator Dairy Food Safety Victoria, who approved the process as healthy and safe.
Naturo founder and CEO Jeff Hastings is behind the revolutionary innovation, which will bring in a fortune in exports, and has already received $250,000 in funding from the Queensland government
‘The primary difference between our milk and pasteurised milk is the fact that we don’t “cook” the milk to make it safe for human consumption,’ Naturo founder and CEO Jeff Hastings told the Courier Mail.
Mr Hastings says Naturo’s milk is closer to the original state, and has been proven to be better than regular milk in terms of nutrition.
‘Pasteurisation heats milk to a minimum of 72°C for at least 15 seconds to make it safe whereas we are able to kill pathogens without relying on heat.’
He said that heating pasteurised milk makes it safer, but kills alkaline phosphatase activity, which helps with liver function and bone development.
Another issue with pasteurised milk is that heating it reduces the Vitamin B2 and B12 levels, Mr Hastings said.
But despite the impressive breakthrough, Mr Hastings said the same taste is still guaranteed
‘Our milk tastes like milk straight from the cow. It is safer, better for you and lasts longer,’ he said.
The innovation has been given the green light after being independently tested and validated by industry regulator Dairy Food Safety Victoria, who approved the process as healthy and safe
Only a small amount of standard Australian milk – which goes off after two weeks – is currently exported by plane to Asian countries like Japan and China, where it can sell for up to $13 a litre.
Milk is one of the biggest exports of the dairy industry, which is worth $585 billion.
Australia produces more milk it consumes – meaning large amounts can be exported.
Naturo has already received a quarter of a million dollars in funding from the Queensland government, but now they’re looking for potential sites for a pilot plant investment.
Jeff Hastings – who is a qualified agricultural engineer – says Naturo’s milk is closer to the original state, and has been proven to be better than regular milk in terms of nutrition
The plant will need to be capable of producing 10 million litres of milk a year.
Naturo plans on employing 32 full-time workers at the plant to allow them to establish their own brand of products, and eventually increase production in the future.
Mr Hastings – who is a qualified agricultural engineer – said the opening of new markets for Australia’s fresh milk will bring ‘a healthy return’ for struggling farmers.
He’s already thrown his hat in the ring of global business, recently commercialising technology that produces ‘no-browning’ cut avocados.
The company has the potential to be shipped all over the world.