Ateneo de Naga University High School

Km. 7, John Phelan Drive, Pacol, Naga City

The Comparative Analysis of the pH Level and Lactose Content of Fresh Milks and Processed Powdered Milks

Jenna Joyce Ebona

Glowsy Cabral

Nicole de Vera

Rogelenne An Borja

Renz John Alba

Johannah Aguayo

RESEARCHERS

Mrs. Ma. Wendy Solomo

ADVISER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study aimed to compare the pH level and Lactose content of fresh milks (Cow’s milk, Goat’s milk, and Carabao’s milk) and processed powdered milks (Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska) in order to guide the consumers in choosing what kind of milk to buy.

Nevertheless, this study would not be possible without the everlasting love, care, and assistance from the researcher’s family, who supported in the collection of milk samples for the experiment and encouraged the researchers when they were taken aback by discouragement.

The researchers would never forget to acknowledge Mrs. Ma. Wendy Solomo who extended, in her precious time, patience in explaining the whole course of the research and gave words of encouragement and for the continuous help, guidance, and assistance extended to the researchers.

Furthermore, the researchers would like to thank their friends especially their classmates for the shared information and for helping the researchers whenever they need help. The researchers would alsow like to thank the staffs at the INECAR department of Ateneo de Naga University for welcoming the researchers and assisting them during the whole duration of the experiment.

Most of all, to God our Father, the source of all strength and wisdom for without His unfaltering love and guidance, this study would never be realized.

This labor of love is dedicated to the researcher’s beloved and supportive parents. To the patient and hardworking teacher, Mrs. Ma. Wendy Solomo. Above all, to our creator, God almighty.

ABSTRACT

This study determined which milk is better, processed powdered milk or fresh milk, based on the pH level and sugar content of the different milks. The pH level was measured using the pH meter while the sugar content was modified using the refractometer. Results revealed that there is a significant difference in the pH level and lactose content of the different milks based on the comparison of the collected data. For the evaluation of the different milks, two groups were formed: processed powdered milks (Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska) and fresh milks (Cow’s milk, Goat’s milk, and Carabao’s milk), both of which were common milk drink that are used by customers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page…………………………………………………………………………………………………....……1|page

Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………………………..…………2|page

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…2|page

Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………………………………....3|page

CHAPTER 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….4|page

Background of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………....4|page

Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………………………………...….5|page

Hypothesis……………………………………………………………………………………………………..…5|page

Objectives………………………………………………………………………………………………………...5|page

Significance of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………....5|page

Scope and Delimitation……………………………………………………………………………………...……6|page

Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………………………………………6|page

CHAPTER 2: Review of Related Literature………………………………………………………………..……7|page

CHAPTER 3: Methodology………………………………………………………………………………......….8|page

CHAPTER 4: Results and Discussions………………………………………………………………………..…9|page

CHAPTER 5: Conclusion and Recommendations…………………………………………...…………………11|page

Bibliography…..............................................................................................................................................12|page

Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………….……………..12|page

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

From the moment of people’s birth, they are already required to drink milk and now that they are already in their 6 to 10 years old, they are still encouraged to drink milk. Drinking milk is considered as an ultimate key to good health. However, drinking milk may not be always desirable for your health. The pH level and sugar content of milk is one such issue that needs to be taken seriously. Balancing pH of foods that people eat is very important since many diseases and disorders stem from the imbalance of acids and alkalis in the body. Also, people should take seriously their sugar intake because it might cause health problems such as diabetes and high blood sugar.

Most people prefer processed milks than fresh milk because it is cheaper and easily available but what we need also to know is what milk has better quality. If milk has lower pH level, it may mean that the cattle carried leukocyte infections such as marmites. Also, if the pH is low, it can add to the acidity of the body or if the pH is high, it can add to the alkalinity of the body. It is very important that sugar levels are kept as close as normal as possible to avoid health problems and conflicts to individual health status – diabetes, high blood sugar, lactose intolerance. People need to know the sugar content and pH level of the milk so they will be guided of what foods, specifically milk, to buy.

The researchers have come up with this study to determine what milk is the best for middle-aged people. This study also focuses on the importance of milk and what milk is healthier and more nutritious by testing the pH level and sugar content of the different types of milk. The pH level and sugar content of the milk affects the people’s health so first and foremost, the people who are drinking milk must know their health status to know if they need more or less sugar intake.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to compare the pH level and sugar content of the fresh milks (Cow’s milk, Goat’s milk, and Carabao’s milk) and processed powdered milks (Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska) to find out what milk is better for middle-aged people. Specifically, the study will answer the following questions:

a. What is the pH level and sugar content of different fresh milks?

b. What is the pH level and sugar content of different processed milks?

c. Is there a significant difference in the pH level and sugar content between the fresh milks and processed milks.

Hypothesis

Null: There is no significant difference in the pH level and sugar content of the different milks.

Alternative: There is a significant difference in the pH level and sugar content of the different milks.

Objectives

1. To determine the sugar content of the fresh milks (Cow’s milk, Goat’s milk, and Carabao’s milk) and processed powdered milks (Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska).

2. To determine the pH level of the fresh milks (Cow’s milk, Goat’s milk, and Carabao’s milk) and processed powdered milks (Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska).

3. To compare the sugar content and pH level of the fresh milks (Cow’s milk, Goat’s milk, and Carabao’s milk) and processed powdered milks (Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska).

Significance of the Study

This research is helpful universally especially to the World Health Organization to address the people of the importance of milk and the worth of knowing the pH level and sugar content of the milk. This study will be beneficial to the Ateneo community, especially to the students, because they need the nutrients that come from the milk due to their activities and age. These students will benefit from this study because it can help them choose what milk is better for them. This study is important also to parents so that next time they will buy milk, they already know what milk to buy for the improvement of their children’s health. Another benefactor will be the future researchers because they will be able to benefit from the researcher’s work and relate this study to their investigation.

Scope and Delimitation

The research is limited only to the pH and Sugar content of different kinds of milks such as cow’s milk, goat’s milk, and carabao’s fresh milk, and processed powdered milk such as Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska. The researchers will be testing it then compare which is the best milk for teens or middle-aged people. The researchers will do it within a day for three times to verify the observations. They would use the same laboratory apparatus to test and measure the pH and sugar content of the different kinds of milk. Also, the researchers will use the same amount of milk to have a higher percentage of reliability. The independent variable is the type of milk used in the experiment – fresh and processed milk, and the dependent variable is the pH level and sugar content of the milk. The variables that will be controlled are the amount of milk, the freshness of milk, the time of soaking the pH balance and refractometer in each milk, and the instruments used to measure the milk.

Definition of Terms

1. pH level – the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution

2. pH meter – is an electronic device used for measuring pH (acidity and alkalinity) of a liquid

3. Processed – a series of mechanical or chemical operations on (something) in order to change or preserve it

4. Probe – is an essential part of a pH meter, it is a rod-like structure usually made up of glass. At the bottom of the probe is a bulb, the bulb is a sensitive part of the probe that contains the sensor used to measure the pH of a solution by being dipped into the solution.

5. Refractometer – is a laboratory or field device for the measurement of an index of refraction.

6. Refractometry – is the method of measuring substances’ refractive index

7. Sugar level – measurement of the sweetness or amount of sugar in liquids/solids.

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Based on other’s research works, they conducted an experiment regarding the pH level of the milk. They tested what causes the milk to be sour after it was left exposed at room temperature. The researchers found out that the pH level of milk is affected by its freshness. The main reason why the milk turned sour is because the lactose in the milk is converted to lactic acid. The milk should not be exposed to air so that bacteria will not grow rapidly and affect the taste, smell, odor, and pH level of the milk. It will be a conflict if the researchers will use milks of different freshness because the pH level of the milk will be affected thus making the results not reliable and unverifiable.

Lactose intolerance is the body’s inability to properly digest lactose or milk sugar and is due to the lack of lactase enzyme in the body. With some experimentation, most people with lactose intolerance discover that they can still eat small amounts of dairy without triggering symptoms such as bloating, gas, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, or nausea. Dairy foods are important to the health of your bones because they are a large source of calcium and vitamin D. The people with lactose intolerance who are drinking milk should take in consideration the kind of milk to drink and it should be the one which has lower sugar content.

Since the early 1930s, our government has been “protecting” us from dangers of whole, raw milk by pasteurizing or processing it. Processing milk increases its shelf life, making it much easier to mass-market, maximizing profits for the dairy industry. Fresh milk comes from real goats, buffalos, or cows that are allowed to graze in toxin free pastures. Besides tasting great, raw organic milk is a precious, life-giving food. But extreme temperatures used to pasteurize the milk can actually render it life-depleting. Pasteurization destroys almost all of the nutritive value of fresh milks. The milk everybody drinks today is far from a whole food, and in their research is not fit for human consumption. Pasteurization also destroys beneficial bacteria found in raw milk. It kills the natural enzymes and destroys the chemical make-up of calcium in raw milk. Calcium is vital to the growth and health of children. Pasteurization has been implicated in everything from allergies to heart disease to cancer. Truly, the resulting product after pasteurization is not raw and living, but rather “killed and dead”.

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

The materials and things the researchers will need for the conduction of experiment are the different milks (Cow’s milk, Goat’s milk, Carabao’s milk, Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska) – 50 mL each, pH meter (to determine the pH level of the milks), refractometer (to know the sugar content of the milks), graduated cylinder (to measure the milks or it to be controlled), and uncontaminated plastic cups (to contain the different milks).

The scientific principles that the researchers will include in the experiment are: first, the researchers will measure objectively and not guess subjectively. The researchers will also use large sample numbers to verify the reliability of the research. Also, they will consider failure as a step toward success; they will not accept things without questioning it; and they will be persistent in their endeavors. They will not be influenced by anything but pertinent physical observations and try always to seek, inquire and discover further.

The experiment will be conducted within a day for three trials and it will be performed at the INECAR laboratory in the Ateneo de Naga University main campus because they have more tools and apparatuses there than in the Ateneo de Naga High school laboratory. The budget for the experiment will be at least 300 pesos because the researchers will not need large amounts of milk but just enough amounts so that we can measure the pH level and sugar content effectively.

The researchers will gather first the materials needed for the experiment. They need 50 mL each of fresh cow’s milk, carabao’s milk, and goat’s milk. For the processed milks, they measured 30 grams each of powdered milks – Bear Brand, Nido, and Alaska – and they added 50 mL of tap water. The researchers determine the sugar content of the fresh milks and then the processed milks by using the refractometer. They place 2-3 drops each of milk in the daylight plate and then they perceive the calibrations of the refractometer using the eyepiece. They will record the data from the results of the experiment. Then, they will find out the pH balance of the fresh milks and processed milks by immersing the pH balance in each of the milk. And record the data accordingly. The researchers will then compare the results for the sugar content of the different milks and the pH level of the different milks.

CHAPTER 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Table 1.1 The pH Level of Processed Milks

|MILK |TRIAL 1 |TRIAL 2 |TRIAL 3 |AVERAGE |
|Bear Brand |6.30 |6.20 |6.20 |6.23 |
|Nido |6.30 |6.20 |6.30 |6.27 |
|Alaska |6.20 |6.20 |6.20 |6.20 |
| | | |Average pH Level: |6.23 |

Table 1.2 The pH Level of Fresh Milks
|MILK |TRIAL 1 |TRIAL 2 |TRIAL 3 |AVERAGE |
|Cow’s Milk |6.70 |6.80 |6.60 |6.70 |
|Goat’s Milk |6.50 |6.70 |6.80 |6.66 |
|Carabao’s Milk |6.70 |6.70 |6.65 |6.68 |
| | | |Average pH Level: |6.68 |

Table 1.3 The Sugar Content of Processed Milks

|MILK |TRIAL 1 |TRIAL 2 |TRIAL 3 |AVERAGE |
|Bear Brand |3.70% |3.79% |3.76% |3.75% |
|Nido |3.57% |3.59% |3.62% |3.59% |
|Alaska |3.81% |3.87% |3.87% |3.85% |
| | | |Average Sugar Content: |3.73% |

Table 1.4 The Sugar Content of Fresh Milks

|MILK |TRIAL 1 |TRIAL 2 |TRIAL 3 |AVERAGE |
|Cow’s Milk |4.02% |4.05% |4.02% |4.03% |
|Goat’s Milk |4.64% |4.68% |4.66% |4.66% |
|Carabao’s Milk |3.90% |3.93% |3.93% |3.92% |
| | | |Average Sugar Content: |4.20% |

pH Level of the Milks: The pH level of the milks were measured and distinguished at fresh stage. The values for pH level of the processed dry milks are given in Table 1.1 while the results for the pH level of fresh milks are stated in Table 1.2. For the commercial powdered milk group, the most acidic is Alaska (6.20) whereas in the fresh milk group, the most acidic is goat’s milk (6.66).

Lactose Content of the Milks: Lactose is the principal carbohydrate of milk. Lactose contents of the milk from powdered milk group are specified in table 1.3 while the values for the fresh milk group are declared in table 1.4. Nido showed the lowest lactose content (3.59%) while Alaska has the highest lactose content (3.85%). For the fresh milks from different species, Cow’s milk has the lowest lactose percentage (4.03%) and Goat’s milk has the highest amount of lactose (6.66%).

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

It was concluded that there is a significant difference in the pH level and sugar content of the different milks. The average pH level of milk should be 6.7 which is slightly acidic while the percentage sugar content of milk must be 4.80%. Therefore, the kind of milk suitable for people 6-20 years old based on the pH level of milk is the fresh milk (6.68) and based on the sugar content of milk is fresh milk (4.20%). People with high alkalinity in their body must take processed powdered milks while fresh milks must be consumed by people with high acidity in their body. People with Lactose intolerance must drink milk with lower sugar content and based on the researcher’s study, they must take processed powdered milks. For people who want to keep as close as normal as possible the sugar level in their body, they must drink fresh milks.

Based on the conducted experiment, the researchers recommend the following for further improvements. To have better results of the pH level, always wash the bulb with tap water and dry it out using a tissue paper. Also, immerse the pH meter at the same time duration so that the time for soaking the bulb is controlled. We also recommend that the containers for the different milks are not contaminated to avoid interference in the result of the experiment. The researchers recommend further research about the properties and contents of milk like the fat and protein content so that consumers will know what milk is better to buy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Websites

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/raw-milk-vs-pasteurized-milk/

http://digestmilk.com/lactase.html

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ph-of-milk.html

http://www.academia.edu/1356093/Comparative_analysis_of_quality_of_milk_collected_from_buffalo_cow_goat_and_sheep_of_Rawalpindi_Islamabad_region_in_Pakistan

http://www.picotech.com/experiments/ph_of_milk/results.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk

http://www.slideshare.net/wiwie08/measuring-the-ph-of-milk-15454366

http://www.mbhes.com/ph_&_food.htm

http://www.parenting.com/article/got-milk

APPENDICES
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