A 48-state study of retail milk samples confirmed that milk from cows treated with Posilac, also known as recombinant bovine somatotropin, is no different than milk from untreated animals. The study, released yesterday by Monsanto Company, was conducted by third-party testing laboratories and verified by an independent audit.
No differences were found in concentrations of bST, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), progesterone or nutrients in conventionally produced milk and milk labeled as coming from cows not supplemented with Posilac. And, no antibiotic residues were found in any of the samples.
The study included 213 samples of 95 milk brands. Samples were gathered from 162 retail locations across the country.
What now?
Monsanto plans to submit the study to a peer-reviewed scientific journal. "The study findings are not surprising," says John Vicini, lead dairy scientist for Monsanto. Marketing claims that imply differences are unsupported by the scientific data. The results are consistent with FDA's exhaustive review of previous studies."
The results raise further questions about the labeling and marketing of higher priced milk from cows not treated with r-BST. Those claims allege that different concentrations of growth hormones or antibiotics imply a difference in milk composition or safety, he adds. "They confuse consumers regarding a safe, nutritious food that's an important part of a healthy diet."
