Guwahati: Milk is usually white in colour but why? On the other hand, the milk of some cows is light yellow in colour. Has anyone ever wondered why this happens, milk can be red, blue or other colors instead of white but why only white?
At an early age, many children asked adults that cows and buffaloes eat green grass so why are their milk white in colour?
Now know the scientific explanation of milk, not just cows and buffaloes but every mammal in the world has a white color of milk. Scientists say that in fact, due to certain chemical actions in the mammalian body, the color of milk is white. Apart from this, the casein found in milk is one of the reasons for milk is white.
The casein protein mixes with the calcium and phosphate found in milk to form a small particle called ‘mycel’. When light falls, it is reflected and scattered. For this, the colour of the milk looks white. Due to the presence of fat in the milk, the color is white. This is why the higher the amount of fat or smoothness in the milk, the whiter the milk is. Conversely, milk with low fat or smoothness looks lighter.
Now you wonder, why cow’s milk is pale yellow as compared to buffalo milk? In fact, cow’s milk is lighter than buffalo. It is also low in fat. At the same time, casein is available in small quantities. For this reason, cow’s milk looks light yellow.
Along with calcium, protein is also found in cow’s milk. One of these proteins is called carotene. For this protein, cow’s milk looks pale yellow as compared to buffaloes. Generally, milk contains vitamins, phosphorus and many other bioactive substances including proteins, fats, lactose, carbohydrates, calcium.