5 Facts vs Myths About Formula Milk/Susu Every Parent Should Know

1. Most formula milk/susu brands are manufactured in Europe or Western Countries like Australia and New Zealand: MYTH

Preferences of parents in choosing formula milk/susu for their child typically depend on price, quality, nutrition, and the list of “fortified ingredients.” While these factors are important to a certain extent, parents must also take the child formula milk’s origins into consideration as well.

Contrary to what most Asian parents are thinking, most premium formula milk/susu brands are, in fact, manufactured in Southeast Asia.

Should parents mind and need to factor this in?

Yes.

The next time you walk down the supermarket aisle looking for a can of milk, we recommend you read the label to find out where the product is manufactured.

When milk is not manufactured in Europe, it may not contain as many natural nutrients as the one that is made from start to end in the country of origin.

This is due to the different manufacturing processes it goes through. A product made in Asia will go through a double manufacturing process while a formula milk/susu that is imported directly from Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, only goes through a single manufacturing process.

2. Formula milk/susu that goes through single manufacturing process is better: FACT

Firstly, it is important for parents to understand the difference between a single manufacturing process versus a double manufacturing process.

A double manufacturing process means the milk is typically sourced from farm most likely in Europe, Australia, or New Zealand before being exported to Asia for brands to add in their “fortified ingredients.”

So, yes, while the milk comes from cows that are reared overseas, they typically source it from a third party since they don’t actually own the farms or cows.

Once the milk is extracted from the cows, it is then transported to a factory to be made into powder and then sent to countries like Thailand, Singapore, or other Southeast Asian countries for brands to include their own ingredients.

During this process, the milk powder is subjected to multiple heat treatments and it is possible that many natural nutrients can be lost.

In cases like this, brand will then have to put on the can that the product is manufactured outside of Europe.

This is why a single manufacturing process is better simply because the products goes through fewer heat treatments and more natural nutrients can be preserved.

A single manufacturing process is when the source of milk/susu comes directly from cows in the original country, converted into powder using milk heat treatment before being packaged and exported to be sold here in Malaysia.

Typically, this single manufacturing process means that a single company is behind the whole process, eliminating any need for third party involvement. It also means that the brand that owns the farm is able to control the environment in which the cows are reared to ensure a thriving atmosphere. Then when the milk is transported, it is done so at the right temperature. Moreover, before the milk is converted into powder, it is carefully tested for the right colour and scent to ensure that is it of highest quality.

3. More DHA in formula milk/susu solely qualifies it to be good quality: MYTH

Quality is the number one criterion cited by mums when choosing their child’s formula milk/susu. There is no surprise in that because most mums believe that the more DHA the better. However, as the saying goes, the gut is the second brain. And so, it is important for milk formula/susu formula to be gut-friendly because easy-to-digest formula milk/susu will essentially support better absorption of key nutrients.

When choosing your child’s formula milk/susu, look for one that preserves 90%+ of natural nutrients for easy digestion.

4. Child formula feeding is always easy: MYTH

It’s true that formula feeding is relatively easy since all you need to do is measure out the right amount of water + milk in the bottle and mix thoroughly. However, when you are faced with a stressful situation like trying to placate a hungry child while trying to prepare their milk/susu, that belief immediately falls under formula myths.

Thankfully, Friso ® Gold Step 3 exhibits exactly what good packaging design should entail in making child formula feeding easy. Firstly, you only need one hand to open the can due to the unique protection lid that offers airtight protection to preserve the freshness of the formula milk/susu powder.

Secondly, the cleverly designed package is thoughtful towards parents because it holds the scoop right at the very top of the can – which means there is no need to dig through the can just to get that scoop out.

Thirdly, with a scoop guide, your child gets the right amount of recommended nutrients with every feed to support his or her right growth and development.

5. Choosing a formula milk/susu isn’t simple: FACT

Part of giving your best as a parent is knowing where your child’s formula milk/susu is from as well as how it is made. When you look at your child's formula milk/susu label and identify the country it was manufactured in, you should be able to tell immediately if it had gone through a single or double manufacturing process.

Friso® Gold provides natural goodness of milk/susu starting from the source, thus ensuring the whole process of "Grass to Glass" and freshness of formula milk/susu is preserved through their unique protection lid packaging.

Undoubtedly, when parents take the time and invest energy to understand the manufacturing process, and take the right steps in choosing a formula milk/susu for their child, they truly are giving their best.

Friso® Gold Step 3 is specially formulated with LocNutri™ technology, which uses only mild heat treatment during the milk/susu manufacturing process to preserves 90%+ of natural nutrient for easy digestion, so more nutrients goodness can be absorbed. This way, your child will naturally have stronger insides so that he or she can experience more with you – which is ultimately whatever parent wants.

Parenting life is not easy, though every parent’s wish is for things to be simple. Sometimes, we have to make challenging decisions that can be borderline painful. But as parents, we aspire to give the best to our children. When we know better, we can have the peace of mind and be happy to know that we are doing better. A pain or not, that, in itself, makes it rewarding.

References:

1. https://my.theasianparent.com/formula-milk-origins
2. https://my.theasianparent.com/formula-milk-facts