189. The effect of commercial sterilization on the nutritive value of milk. VI. Comparison of the total nutritive value of raw and commercially sterilized milks

Abstract

1. The effect of commercial sterilization on the total nutritive value of milk was studied in five separate experiments.2. In the first experiment raw and sterilized milks supplemented with minerals were given in equal amounts to pairs of litter-mate male rats. No differences were found in the growth performance of the rats, but the rats on sterilized milk consumed it more readily than their mates on raw milk. This difference was statistically significant.3. Rats getting limited but equal amounts of milk in addition to a basal diet which supplied only protein, energy and minerals grew better on raw than on sterilized milk.4. When the basal diet contained in addition 5% brewer's yeast and the milk intakes were the same as in the previous experiment no difference was found between the two groups.5. Rats receiving raw milk to which 15 g. of cane sugar was added per 100 ml. grew better than rats receiving equal quantities of similarly treated sterilized milk.6. Rats given raw milk containing 30 g. per 100 ml. of sugar grew as well as the rats on sterilized milk in the preceding experiment, but rats receiving similarly treated sterilized milk took much less milk than the raw milk rats, grew very poorly and some of them developed symptoms of beri-beri.7. The difference between raw and sterilized milk is discussed and it is concluded that in these experiments on the total nutritive value of milk vitamin B₁was the first limiting factor of sterilized milk.