Cardboard milk packaging turned out to be worse than plastic

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A new study has confirmed that milk packaging affects not only the taste of the drink, but also its preservation. So, it turned out that cartons do not preserve milk freshness as well as glass and plastic containers.

To assess the impact of packaging on taste, the researchers studied pasteurized whole and skim milk stored in six half-pint (≈236.5 ml) containers: a carton, three plastic containers (made of different plastics), a plastic bag, and glass as a control. The milk was stored in the dark and refrigerated at 4°C.

The samples were tested on the first day, then again after 5, 10, and 15 days. A qualified panel of experts rated the sensory properties of each sample, and the research team conducted volatile compound analysis to understand how the packaging combined with the milk.

The results showed that the type of packaging affects the taste of milk, with skim milk being more susceptible to flavor effects than whole milk. Of all the packaging types, cartons and plastic bags are the least likely to preserve milk freshness. Milk packaged in cartons has the least off-flavor and the least amount of cardboard compounds. The final results show that while glass remains the ideal container for preserving milk flavor, plastic containers offer additional benefits by preserving freshness in the absence of light.