Long life milk is also known as UHT milk, which stands for ultra-high temperature. The main difference between fresh milk and long-life milk is in the pasteurisation process. With long-life milk this involves flash heating the milk to between 135-150 degrees C for 3-5 seconds. This removes all the harmful bacteria and pathogens which can affect the quality of the milk over time. Doing this improves the shelf life of the milk and enables it to be stored at room temperature for longer, before being opened and stored in the fridge as normal.

The extended shelf life is perhaps the primary reason to buy long-life milk, but there are plenty of others too. So let’s have a look at them.

Nutrition

Long-life milk has the same nutritional value as fresh milk. The higher temperatures long-life milk is subjected to can kill off some nutrients, such as vitamin C, but the most valuable nutrients in milk are calcium and protein, and these are largely unaffected by the UHT process and hence long-life milk has the same nutritional value as fresh milk.

No preservatives

There is an assumption that long-life milk relies on preservatives, but that is not the case. The quality of long-life milk is naturally preserved, because the harmful microorganisms have been killed off in the heat treatment process and the packaging then acts to preserve the status of the milk, meaning it remains sterile and totally natural.

Great taste

It is true that long-life milk tastes a little different to fresh milk. But it is barely noticeable. The UHT process provides the milk with a slightly creamier taste that is also a touch sweeter. However, this does remove the need to add sugar or artificial sweeteners. In a comparison taste test the majority of people can’t taste the difference.  

Versatile

In addition to use for your cereal and in tea or coffee, long-life milk is widely used in cooking and baking too, and by professionals. The sweeter taste removes the need to add sugar, as mentioned above, but professionals like it for its consistency in taste and quality, and the fact that it can be stored for longer means it is reliable in terms of storage levels and availability in a fast-paced environment.  

Affordable

Because long-life milk has an extended shelf life it is much more economical than fresh milk. There is less wastage and every drop of long-life milk is consumed because it doesn’t go off. Also, the longer storage capability reduces distribution costs for producers and retailers, which can be passed on to the consumer. These shelf-life benefits mean people often buy long-life milk in larger, bulk quantities, often resulting in further cost savings.

The benefits of UHT long-life milk, such as the products supplied by Just Milk, outweigh those of fresh milk for many people, including everyday consumers, but also retailers and professional cooks and chefs. So, check out the benefits of our products for yourself.