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Scientific evidence for safer dairy products
Safe food is food that is fit for consumption and does not harm people’s health.
At Latitud, LATU’s foundation for research, development, and innovation, we study the potential hazards that may be present throughout food production and processing. Our goal is to generate reliable scientific information that makes it possible to identify problems or potential food hazards (pathogenic bacteria, chemicals, etc.), prevent them from reaching food, anticipate risks, and support decision-making that protects people’s health and strengthens our exports.
A team of researchers from Latitud and LATU has begun working on the measurement of dioxins and furans in the dairy value chain. These are chemical compounds that originate from waste burning, plastics combustion, forest fires, or certain industrial processes, and they have a negative impact on the environment, flora, and human and animal health. They can cause skin toxicity and affect the immune, nervous, and reproductive systems. Some of these compounds are carcinogenic, highly toxic, absorbed into fats, and very stable, remaining in the environment for long periods without breaking down and capable of traveling long distances through the wind.
At LATU, analytical techniques are being developed to measure these contaminants. Based on this work, Latitud will analyze milk all along the chain, from dairy farms to final products such as powdered milk and butter.
These analyses will make it possible to study which factors may influence their presence and whether they may later appear in powdered milk and butter. In this way, the first national data will be generated—key to understanding the country’s real situation, something that until now had not been possible.
From data to action
With the data obtained, it will be possible to detect potential hazards, propose preventive measures, and help producers, industries, and authorities make decisions to mitigate the impact of these contaminants.
Based on scientific evidence, we move forward step by step to turn problems into solutions and ensure that safe food is available everywhere.
In this way, we contribute to producing safer food, protecting health, and strengthening confidence in Uruguayan food products both at home and around the world.
