Why goat milk has strong odour and how to get rid of it

Most people find the strong smell in goat’s milk revolting, perhaps the reason why the product is not widely consumed.

Well, despite the smell, goat’s milk is superior to a cow’s because it is high in calcium and amino acids such as tryptophan, which are necessary to promote growth of healthy bones.

The milk also has a higher percentage of fatty acids, about 35 per cent against 17 per cent of a cow’s, which makes it more nutritious.

Goat milk is also easier to digest because its fats are smaller compared to that of cows.

The milk is also naturally lower in cholesterol, therefore, safer to consume for people who are checking both their cholesterol intake and their waistlines.

Furthermore, the milk is higher in prebiotics, which refers to substances that help to grow beneficial bacteria in the gut and prevent the growth of harmful ones.

Well, with all these benefits, that smell repulses people from consuming the milk.

To begin with, most people believe that having a buck in the same pen with the doe is the source of the smell. The belief carries some truth but this is not the only reason.

Goat milk has a high amount of lactic acid which multiplies faster especially if the milk is stored in temperatures above 380C. This affects the flavour and smell of milk.

Therefore, once milking is done, the milk should be promptly cooled to about 170C. This is necessary to stop enzyme action and prevent lipolysis (the breakdown of fats and other lipids to release fatty acids), which contributes to the goaty flavour (smell) of milk.

KEEP DOES AND BUCKS APART

Does (female goats) normally produce a lot of pheromones and when kept close to the bucks, they get affected by the latter’s odour, which is passed into milk.

Therefore, it is safer not to take the risk and keep them yards apart, especially when milking. If possible, the farmer can only allow the does and bucks to meet during the breeding season. This helps in eliminating the goaty flavour in milk.

Another reason goat milk may have a strong taste is the breed. Some breeds are known for their pungent body smell, for instance, the Toggenburg and Oberhasi.

Diet also plays a big role. For instance, if the goat is fed a diet high in onions and garlic, the crops’ smell filters into the milk. Drinking water may also affect the flavour of milk. If the water is extra high in copper or iron, this results into the ‘bad’ flavour.

Health issues such as mastitis can also contribute to the flavour. Mastitis, which is inflammation of the udder, results in chemical and physical reaction in milk giving it a bitter taste and it also gives the milk the nauseating flavour.

Sanitation is also key during milking. The udder needs to be cleaned thoroughly with warm water and the coat brushed before milking.

This is to avoid foreign matter from the skin or fur getting into milk to affect its taste. The milk also needs to be filtered and the buckets and jar being used sterilised.

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The writer works in the Department of Dairy, Food Science and Technology, Egerton University.