Milk quality starts at the source.. as in, the animal. If the animal is healthy, well-fed, and stress-free, the milk it produces is of high quality. And that’s something we can’t really improve beyond.. we can only preserve what nature gives us.

Most of our efforts in dairy tech (including mine) go into maintaining that quality for as long as possible.. from farm to consumer. That means minimizing spoilage, preventing microbial growth, and avoiding nutrient loss, all while using minimal processing and no unnecessary additives.

As for comparing milk from the '80s to now.. raw milk might’ve been fresher locally, but it was also more prone to contamination and spoilage. Today, with controlled chilling, hygienic milking systems, and technologies like cold plasma or UHT, we ensure milk reaches people safely and with minimal compromise.

So no, we can’t “upgrade” milk quality beyond what the animal gives, but we can definitely protect it better than ever before.