Most of us grew up watching milk being boiled on the stove every morning. It was a familiar sound and smell in many homes. But today, with cities like Delhi-NCR consuming tens of lakhs of litres of milk every single day, a large part of which is packaged, our old habits don’t always match what science says.
Even though packaged milk has become a daily part of life for millions of people, many households still boil it out of routine or caution. But specialists—from scientists to doctors to dairy experts—say this extra step isn’t needed. Packaged milk is already processed through methods that make it safe to drink. In fact, boiling it again can actually harm its nutritional value, especially vitamins like B-complex and C, and can even affect the taste and texture.
When packaged milk is fresh and kept properly in the refrigerator after opening, it can be consumed directly. At most, a gentle warming is enough if you prefer it hot or if it’s been sitting out for a few hours. This is very different from raw milk brought directly from a milkman, which must always be boiled because it has not gone through any safety treatment.
Packaged milk mainly comes in two forms. One is pasteurised milk, which is quickly heated to a moderate temperature and then cooled so that almost all harmful bacteria are removed without damaging the nutrients. This type must be kept chilled and usually lasts about a week. The other is UHT milk, which is heated to a much higher temperature for a very short time and then sealed tightly. This process eliminates even the toughest microorganisms, letting the milk stay fresh for months without refrigeration as long as the pack remains unopened.
Boiling packaged milk at home can undo some of this careful processing. Important vitamins break down when exposed to high heat for too long, proteins become less useful to the body, and natural enzymes get destroyed. The milk can even change colour slightly or develop a layer of cream on top because of chemical reactions that happen during over-heating.
There are only two times when heating packaged milk makes sense: if you simply like drinking it hot, or if the milk has been left outside the fridge for several hours after the pack was opened. Even then, moderate heating is all you need. Once opened, the milk should always be refrigerated and used within a couple of days for safety.
Raw milk, however, is a completely different story. It comes straight from the animal with no processing at all, and it can contain germs, viruses, or parasites that may cause illness—especially in young children, pregnant women, older adults, or anyone with a weak immune system. It can also get contaminated through unclean containers or improper handling. Boiling raw milk thoroughly is essential because it kills harmful microorganisms and makes it safe to drink.
In today’s world, where milk reaches our homes in neat packets after careful treatment, boiling it is no longer a necessity. Understanding the difference between raw and packaged milk helps us keep both our health and our daily routines in balance.
