This groundbreaking book is the first to be published internationally that examines the link between the milk we drink and a range of serious illnesses, including heart disease, Type 1 diabetes, autism and schizophrenia. These health problems are linked to a tiny protein fragment that is formed when we digest A1 beta-casein, a milk protein produced by most cows in New Zealand and Australia. Milk that contains this protein fragment is commonly known as A1 milk, whereas milk that does not is known as A2. Some milk is naturally A2, especially from cows of Asian or African origin, and is now being marketed in many supermarkets throughout New Zealand and Australia. In Devil in the Milk Keith Woodford, Professor of Farm Management and Agribusiness at Lincoln University, for the first time brings together all of the published scientific evidence surrounding A1 milk. He examines the population studies that look at the link between the consumption of A1 milk and the incidence of heart disease and Type 1 diabetes; he explains the science that underpins the A1 hypothesis; and examines the different research that has been undertaken around this issue. His conclusion is sobering - the evidence is compelling that, for the sake of our health, we should not be drinking A1 milk, and switching to A2. This an amazing story, one that is not just about the health issues surrounding A1 milk, but also about how science knowledge can be moulded and withheld by vested interests, and how consumer choices are influenced by the interests of corporate business. Devil in the Milk is a serious and important book, compulsory reading for those concerned with health issues. It also demands to be taken extremely seriously by anyone interested in the future viability of our dairy industry.

Author Biography

Keith Woodford is Professor of Farm Management and Agribusiness at Lincoln University, New Zealand with a background in farming systems, agribusiness and international rural development. He has worked on rural development and education projects in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam and Sri Lanka and also undertaken consultancies in many other Asian countries. His research interests are diverse, but in general relate to the broad question as to how agribusiness firms (including farms) and industries can achieve and sustain a competitive advantage. Until 2000 he was Reader in Rural Management at the University of Queensland, and his PhD in new industry development is from there. Keith is closely involved in the dairy industry and he is a regular commentator on agribusiness issues in the New Zealand media.