Why Milk Turns Sour In A Thunderstorm: Facts, Omens And Superstitions

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Why milk turns sour in a thunderstorm: scientific explanations and superstitions

Many have noticed that milk deteriorates faster after rain. At the same time, according to observers, it does not matter if this product is home or store. Also, the storage location does not matter, that is, the refrigerator is not able to extend the shelf life. There are several hypotheses and beliefs why milk turns sour in a thunderstorm.

Objective reasons

According to one of the hypotheses, the properties of milk are influenced by ozone, which is actively released into the ambient air after rain. This gas has strong oxidizing properties and promotes the growth of lactic bacteria. Due to the multiplication of lactobacilli, milk sours faster.

Another explanation is associated with electromagnetic impulses - spherics. They affect not only meteorological people, but also dairy products. This version also has a right to exist.

They also try to explain the strange effect by changes in the composition of the drink. In a thunderstorm, calcium and protein react to make the liquid more acidic. However, this applies only to natural farm milk, these two elements do not affect the properties of the purchased product.

Signs and superstitions

Farmers have noticed in ancient times that milk spoils faster in a thunderstorm. People not only tried to explain this phenomenon, but also to find a way to prolong the freshness. So, in order to preserve the quality, in the villages a frog is thrown into a vessel with liquid. Another way is to pour the milk into an aluminum can. Allegedly, this way you can avoid folding and souring.

Popular wisdom offers two answers to the question of why the taste of the drink changes. Because of thunder and lightning, the cow can be frightened, so in bad weather it gives spoiled milk. Although even in past centuries, milkmaids noticed that the milk in the udder sour even before the thunderstorm, so it is impossible to explain everything only by fear. Therefore, the second version was born.

Thunder causes tremors and vibrations. Some housewives believe it is them who are guilty of changing the properties of the dairy product. After shaking, the liquid turns sour faster, and it does not matter where it is: in the cellar, in the open air, or even in the cow.

A clear answer to the question, apparently, still does not exist. There are only assumptions and attempts to explain such an interesting phenomenon. However, buyers notice that the properties of high-quality village milk and industrial products with a short shelf life are changing. UHT drinks are usually not affected by rain.