The Market for Milk in Mexico is Multiplying

If you were shopping for milk in U.S. grocery stores, the most likely place to find the dairy would be in a refrigerated cooler. But that’s not the case in Mexico, where shelf-stable milk and powdered milk are more common – and milk from Washington is a big hit.

“In Mexico, we rely on shelf-stable products,” said Marco Albarran, Washington State Department of Agriculture's in-country representative for Mexico and Central America. “People need to be able to store them at shelf temperature before they use them.”

In the traditional process, milk is pasteurized by heating it to 161 degrees for 15 seconds, which kills all the harmful bacteria in the milk. But in an alternative process, called ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurization, the milk is heated to 300 degrees for two to six seconds. Both methods of pasteurization ensure that milk is fresh and safe, but the UHT pasteurization method makes milk shelf-stable, which means that it does not require refrigeration for storage.

Shelf-stable milk will stay good for up to six months on the shelf. However, once it is opened, it must be refrigerated immediately, and it is best enjoyed within seven days of opening.

“The Mexican market is importing between 300,000 and 350,000 metric tons of milk, year over year,” said Mariana Lezama, managing director for Darigold Mexico. “We are very proud to bring products from Washington. The interest and the connection between countries is really huge.”