🌍 World regions

World regions is a section on how dairy traditions differ across parts of the world. Dairy traditions vary greatly from region to region, because each milks its own animals and makes its own products. According to the FAO, almost all milk in developed countries comes from cows, whereas in Asia other animals account for about 38% of milk, and in Africa about 22%. The biggest growth in production since the 1970s, according to the FAO, has been in South Asia, and India today is the world’s largest milk producer, with about 22% of global output.

In South Asia the main dairy animal is the buffalo, and the staple products are ghee, dahi, paneer and sweets made from reduced milk. On the steppes of Central Asia and Mongolia people drink koumiss from mare’s milk and shubat from camel milk; in the Tibetan highlands, yak butter tea. In the Middle East and North Africa goat, sheep and camel milk is common, and in the Mediterranean, sheep’s and goat’s cheeses. In Northern Europe people have historically drunk a lot of fresh milk and fermented milk products.

How do dairy traditions of the world differ from what you know at home? In developed countries almost all milk is cow’s milk, while in Asia other animals give about 38 % and in Africa about 22 %. South Asia runs on buffalo milk, ghee, dahi, paneer and sweets from reduced milk; the Middle East and North Africa on goat, sheep and camel milk; the Mediterranean on sheep’s and goat’s cheeses; Northern Europe on fresh and fermented milk. Fresh milk is drunk more where adults digest lactose, fermented products and cheeses more elsewhere.

The label names the animal when it is not a cow: look for goat’s, sheep’s, buffalo, camel or mare’s milk on the pack, and for ghee, paneer, dahi, koumiss or shubat by their own names. Such products are found in supermarkets with an international section, in Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European food shops, in delicatessens and at markets. Cow’s milk is simply called milk, so the other animal is always stated.

Genetics is also tied to regional traditions: the ability of adults to digest lactose is most widespread among descendants of ancient herders, especially in northwestern Europe, and is less common in East Asia and many parts of Africa. That is why fresh milk is drunk more in some regions, and fermented products and cheeses more in others.