"Thought It Was Just Milk?"... The 'Fake Milk List in Korea' Was Real [Matjalal X-File]

Ingredient Analysis of 50 Strawberry, Chocolate, Banana, and Coffee Milk Products

Five Products with 0% Raw Milk... 57% Contain 50% or Less

More Than Half Use Cheaper Imported Milk Powder

'Shocking! List of Fake Milk Products in Korea'

Recently, while browsing social networking services (SNS), I was startled by the title of a post. The post featured the results of Consumer Research's 2017 analysis of the ingredients in processed milk products available on the market. Processed milk refers to dairy products made by adding flavors, colors, sugar, and other ingredients to freshly squeezed raw milk from cows. The strawberry, chocolate, banana, and coffee milks commonly seen are mostly processed milk products. Although processed milk contains milk-derived ingredients, some of these products contain no raw milk at all, so the post advised consumers to check the ingredients before drinking.

Among the 42 products surveyed, excluding 8 manufacturers who refused to disclose the raw milk content out of the 50 products targeted, we examined the raw milk content. Among them, 5 products had a raw milk content of 0%. Getty Images

When trying to buy strawberry or chocolate milk at convenience stores, supermarkets, or online, you will notice that many products highlight the word "milk." As a result, consumers often expect that these products are made mostly from raw milk. However, in reality, this is frequently not the case. In this edition of Matjalal X-File, we analyzed the ingredients of 50 top-selling processed milk products such as strawberry, chocolate, banana, and coffee milk, available on online channels like Coupang, Kurly, and Naver Shopping.

Among the 50 products surveyed, excluding 8 products whose manufacturers refused to disclose the raw milk content, we examined the raw milk content of the remaining 42 products. Of these, five products had a raw milk content of 0%. Four products in the Denmark Milk series manufactured by Dongwon F&B contained no raw milk at all. Instead, skim milk powder and whey powder were used in place of raw milk. Binggrae’s Royal Chocolate Milk, launched in February last year, also contained 0% raw milk. Including these five products, a total of 24 products contained 50% or less raw milk, accounting for half of the products surveyed. If products whose manufacturers refused disclosure are excluded, 57% of the products had a raw milk content of 50% or less.

The major source of consumer confusion lies in labeling. Most packages and online product titles use the word "milk." There are also cases where the detailed information section on online channels emphasizes that the product is a milk item. For example, some products with less than 20% raw milk content claim that the manufacturer strictly manages its raw milk. Additionally, marketing phrases such as "fresh milk" or "Grade A raw milk from dedicated farms" are actively used in promotions. This leads consumers to expect that these products contain a high proportion of raw milk.

Legally, processed milk products containing no raw milk can still be labeled as "milk." This is because in 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs determined that processed milk could be labeled as milk, since its ingredients are similar to those of milk. Ingredients such as skim milk powder, cream, or whey powder, which are derived from milk and used in place of raw milk, fulfill the requirement for milk content. Even products with 0% raw milk content contain skim milk powder, so they are labeled as "contains milk" in the ingredient list.

Skim milk powder is a raw material made by removing fat from raw milk and converting it into powder. Raw milk is a perishable product with a short shelf life and requires refrigeration. From a manufacturer's perspective, powdered skim milk, with its moisture removed, can be stored for over a year at room temperature, making storage and distribution much more convenient. It also reduces unit costs and storage expenses. However, according to dairy industry representatives, using skim milk powder instead of raw milk does not always result in lower costs, explaining that if domestic raw milk is used to make skim milk powder, the price is nearly the same as that of raw milk.

However, using imported skim or blended milk powder greatly reduces production costs compared to using domestic raw milk. Of the 35 products out of 50 that used skim or blended milk powder, only 9 used domestic milk powder. More than half of the products surveyed used imported milk powder from countries such as the Netherlands. Industry insiders explained that Dutch milk powder, in particular, is three to four times cheaper than domestic powder due to higher raw milk yields and lower production costs.

The dairy industry claims that adjusting the proportion of raw milk is not solely for cost reduction. Since the supply and taste of raw milk can vary by season, manufacturers use available raw materials and require skim milk powder to maintain a consistent flavor. For instance, one manufacturer explained during the interview process that last year, there was an oversupply of raw milk, so they processed it into skim milk powder for storage. To use this ingredient, they lowered the raw milk proportion and increased the use of skim milk powder. The manufacturer added that after using up the skim milk powder, they could increase the raw milk content again.

Among the processed milk products surveyed, not all had low raw milk content. Fourteen products contained 70% or more raw milk. Even products from the same manufacturer could be differentiated by their raw milk content. For example, Binggrae's flagship Banana Flavored Milk, popular among both domestic and foreign tourists, contains 85.7% raw milk in the original product. The unsweetened version contains 80%, and the mini version contains 92%, with the ratio varying depending on size and ingredients. Namyang Dairy Products’ popular Chocoemong and Strawberry Emong products have a separate "plenty of milk" series with higher raw milk content.

In terms of nutrition, there is little difference in protein and calcium between raw milk and skim milk powder, and skim milk powder, which has had the fat removed, actually contains less fat and calories. However, it is highly likely that fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and D are removed during the high-temperature drying process to make skim milk powder from raw milk. In addition, since processed milk products often have added sugar to create specific flavors, their sugar content can be quite high. The raw milk content can also be adjusted by the manufacturer over time and may differ with each production batch. Therefore, it is wise for consumers to check not only the raw milk content but also the sugar, protein, and other components carefully before purchasing.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.