DOST touts goat milk

For cheaper and more nutritious milk, powdered goat milk is for you!

CHEERS to all milk lovers! At last, our long wait for a better milk product that is within our reach has just ended. Now, milk lovers of all ages (babies, toddlers, youth, and adult alike) can enjoy the freshness and health benefits of goat milk once the local producer takes full blast operations. Everyone can now afford to be healthier with this cheaper milk alternative. But not to mislead though, mother’s milk is still best for babies!

Touted to be equally nutritious or even more beneficial in terms of nutritional properties, powdered goat milk is now being produced in the country by Skysoft Incorporated, the first-ever local producer of powdered goat milk. The processing facility was inaugurated on February 11, 2013 at St. Rita Village, Sucat, Parañaque City. The goats (the source of the milk) are bred/raised in their sister company, Boergoat Club Farm in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Freshly extracted goat milk is pasteurized before being processed into powder milk using a newly fabricated spray dryer that was based on an original design conceptualized by ITDI-DOST (Industrial Technology Development Institute, Department of Science and Technology) engineers. With the use of the spray dryer, acceptable finished products were produced and packed in 340 grams/pack.  The products are even cheaper with a proposed selling price of P400.00 per 340 gram pack as against P663.50 for its imported commercial counterpart.

Skysoft’s business venture with the Institute started when the company requested for the technical expertise of food technologists/engineers in terms of product development and standardization of fresh goat milk processing. The pool of experts is headed by Engr. Melchor Valdecañas, Chief, Food Processing Division (FPD) and Officer-In-Charge, Office of the Deputy Director for R&D. “We then worked on improving the product’s stability -- prolonging its shelf life and at the same time, preserving its nutritional value after being processed,” said Ms. Elsa Falco, Senior Science Research Specialist and product development lead.

After having standardized the process for goat’s milk production, the developed product underwent storage studies and subjected to physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses. Skysoft’s powdered goat milk performed well and found comparable with existing imported brands in the market. Samples were still acceptable in terms of color and taste even after six months of storage. And lately, the products proved to be still good after one and a half years.

Concrete nutritional facts proving that goat milk contains higher nutritional qualities or benefits are now widespread and gaining acceptance among consumers. Upon further evaluation of the produced powdered goat milk, this was also confirmed.  Goat’s milk produced at Skysoft has higher total fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals, and has lower level of carbohydrates as compared to cow’s milk. “And because of these good properties, goat milk is less allergenic; naturally homogenized; easier to digest; causes less lactose intolerance; and generally suits human body condition better than cow’s milk”, says Ms. Falco.

Considering that milk is a staple food with cow’s milk leading in the market, these latest developments spell good gains for powdered goat milk. Though less advertised compared to its big competitors that can afford heavy ad campaigns, powdered goat milk may eventually clinch a viable share in the market.

With full blast operations at Skysoft, our dependence on imported powdered goat milk may soon be lessened – a welcome treat for the economy and local milk drinkers. And when enjoying that hot or cold glass of goat’s milk, you may be satisfied even more knowing that it came from our own. But remember, to all loving moms out there, mother’s breast milk is still best for babies! / (Del Delica-Gotis, 03/26/2013)