Many people are accustomed to heating bagged milk in a microwave or in boiling water for breakfast. Experts believe that this method of heating milk is not scientific.
According to food inspection experts, the reason liquid milk has a shelf life of several days, a month, or even several months is because its packaging uses polymer materials with barrier properties or aluminum foil packaging materials. Although both types of packaging materials are safe and reliable, special attention must be paid when using them. Since the main component of this polymer material is polyethylene, it will decompose at high temperatures.
If bagged milk is heated directly at high temperatures, it will cause some toxic decomposition products from the polyethylene in the packaging material to seep into the milk, where they will react with the fats, proteins, sugars, and other components. This will destroy the original composition and pose a health hazard to the human body if consumed directly. Therefore, bagged milk should not be heated while still in the bag. [China Food]
So, what is the correct way to heat milk? Yu Junling, a nutritionist from the Nutrition Department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, told reporters that if using a microwave, the milk should be poured into a microwave-safe container before heating. If using a pot, the milk should be poured into a stainless steel milk pot for heating. Regarding the method of some consumers who directly place the bagged milk in boiling water to heat it, Yu Junling also considers this unscientific, as it also faces the health risk of the packaging material decomposing when heated.