He The Government has been distributing milk mixtures with maltodextrin, vegetable oil and whey to the beneficiaries of the Glass of Milk and to the patients of the Food and Nutrition Program for Patients with Tuberculosis and Family (PANTBC), according to Jorge Reyes Luján, vice president of the Agricultural Society of Arequipa (SADA). The leader also denounced that these mixtures are causing intestinal problems, allergies, obesity and diabetes, as reported by specialists.
According to Reyes, in the Arequipa region, the provincial municipality distributes these dairy mixtures to 1,500 beneficiaries of the Glass of Milk and 400 PANTBC patients, with an investment of S/740,000 and S/1,200,000, respectively, for their purchase. The company that supplies these products is the Gloria group and the brand of the dairy mix is Bonlé.
The nutritionist of Salud en Casa, Mayra Garay, warned that these dairy mixtures are not recommended for children under 1 year of age and for tuberculosis patients. The specialist pointed out that the lactose present in the mixtures can cause digestive problems in children, such as diarrhea and vomiting. In addition, the presence of whey and maltodextrin can cause allergies and increase glucose levels, which is counterproductive for people with diabetes and obesity.
For his part, the former president of SADA Justo Díaz Cano Vizcarra pointed out that the use of whey in milk production is prohibited in several countries in the region, such as Colombia. “In that country, whey is only used as a primary input in the preparation of other foods for human consumption,” he commented.
It should be noted that, in October of last year, Supreme Decree 004-2022-MIDAGRI was issued, which establishes the exclusive use of fresh milk for the production of evaporated milk, which prohibits the use of whey in milk production. However, the Midis continues to buy these dairy mixes, despite being aware of their nutritional deficiencies, Reyes says.
Dairy industry absorbs less than 68% of milk supply
Fresh milk production in the country is sufficient to supply the market, according to data from the Ministry of Agrarian Development (Midagri). The dairy industry only absorbs 67.9% of the total supply of fresh milk, while the rest is used to make cheese and feed livestock.
Faced with this situation, livestock and nutrition specialists have called for improved nutrition in social programs and for the population in general not to be fooled by advertising and to demand certified evaporated milk, such as the one with the purple label, which contains the most suitable nutritional values for health and is recommended by farmers.
Source: Larepublica
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