johnnyone

It ruins the taste of fruit juice as well. You cannot beat fresh (or freshly frozen)

Dick Dasterdly

The high temperature used on UHT milk does have an extremely detrimental effect on its flavour.
I would presume that fresh milk in Spain has been through the pasteurisation process as used in the UK.
Please someone correct me if I'm wrong about that.

Although not quite as thorough as the UHT method, it has been used very successfully for a great many years and unlike the UHT method does not destroy the flavour, possibly only affecting it very slightly, though naturally the shelf life is much more limited.

Fresh milk straight from the cow is tastier than even the pasteurised product and although illegal, we used to sell some to friends and relations who much preferred it, as well as using quite a lot ourselves.
To further explain, my family had a dairy farm way back half a century and much more ago in days long gone, also a hoss and cart milk round at one time. I well remember sitting on a tiny three legged stool as a kid milking my favourite cow by hand before the milking machines and TT testing came in.

tex_ritter

I just got back from Tesco and treated myself to a litre of Jersey milk, full cream...beautiful cup of tea

I looked at the price of UHT and its €0.57 / £0.49 a litre. I've noticed some big price increases recently Tesco butter is €1.51 / £1.30 a pack, Normandy butter is now €1.86 / £1.60, boneless Pork leg per kilo now €3.47 / £2.99. Prices are on the up

Fred James

Almost certainly it has been pasteurised. There is no such thing as "fresh" milk any more.

There is also a new process called "Extended Shelf Life Treatment" which can keep it "fresh" for even longer. Apparently this does not have to be quoted on the label unlike UHT treatments.

I seem to remember seeing some milk in Mercadona that mentioned something about the shelf life.

All these various processes can affect the taste and physical qualities of the milk - but it's down to personal taste. Personally I don't drink any of it but my OH swears that Spanish UHT milk tastes miles better than the stuff in the UK.

Dick Dasterdly

Of course there's such a thing as fresh milk.
All milk is fresh when it leaves the cow or alternatively a goat if you can be troubled to keep one in the back garden.
I can still get fresh cows milk from a couple of dairy farmers I know, but as stated it's not legal and so rarely practised.

As for the taste of UHT, I found it disgusting at first, though I suppose you can get used to anything given enough time and even begin to look on it as the norm, but given the choice it would always be fresh for me.

Fred James

But, as you say, it's illegal and unless you have a cow or know a dairy farmer you cannot buy it.

So, to all intents and purposes, for mere mortals, it doesn't exist!

CroptopMartin

Is there anywhere around Fuegirola or Mijas costa that I could get cows milk fresh, that is not pasteurised?

snikpoh

As previously mentioned, try Mercadona.

Dick Dasterdly

I would doubt it myself.

Most of the big Dairy herds are way up at the other end of the country and I would very much doubt that they would transport milk that distance without at the very least pasteurising it first and in most cases giving it UHT treatment.

In any event would it be legal for a Spanish supermarket to sell untreated milk ?

jdr

But it has to be pasteurised to be legally sold.

Fred James

It doesn't

It is perfectly legal to sell raw milk in Spain but you will find it almost impossible to buy apart from specialist suppliers - certainly not in the average supermarket.

jdr

I am talking about UK milk, the stuff he is after.

Dick Dasterdly

Quite surprising that it's still legal in Spain to sell untreated milk.

It must have been a standard requirement in most EU countries for as far back as I can remember.
Yet in one of the countries with the greatest risk factors due mainly to high temperatures, I would have thought it would have been one of the most basic requirements of EU regulations.

No surprise however that the major supermarkets are not prepared to take the risk of selling it untreated.

CroptopMartin

As others have said, I would need a specialist supplier and most if not all mainstream shops wouldn't be able to legally sell untreated milk.

It is my belief that to make my own lowfat cottage cheese, I need untreated skimmed milk.

Fred James

Quite the opposite - EU law allows the sale of raw milk. Individual countries can impose their own conditions.

For example it's legal in the UK except in Scotland.

Just Google "Raw Milk".