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The Food Chain

Factual: Food & Drink

Examining what it takes to put food on your plate

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

The Food Chain: Man v Milk

Dairy cows

16/01/2015

Man v Milk

BBC World Service - The Food Chain, Man v Milk

How milk changed humans and humans changed milk

Our relationship with milk is complicated. We discuss our evolutionary quest to drink milk and how we continue to change it to suit our tastes.

The relationship between humans and milk is a long and complicated one. We were never supposed to drink it past infancy yet we can’t seem to leave it alone. This week, we hear how an ability to drink milk forged the course of our evolution.  

Plus, milk is big business. We hear how Dutch farmers are bracing themselves for the potential impact of EU milk quotas being lifted this year. And, why Coca-Cola has its eyes set on entering the milk market with a high-protein version. We find out about the unique social and economic factors that lead to the widespread pasteurisation of milk in the early 20th Century. And, Angela Saini talks to a farmer about the controversial trend of going back to drinking raw milk.

(Photo: Dairy cows in New Zealand. Credit: William West/AFP/Getty Images)

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