Subhadrika Sen
Barter currency: History buffs would know that long before paper currency came into being; milk producing cows were used as currency. They were bred, traded, gifted and used as barter exchanges.
Status Symbol: With the rise of caste and class economics, owning cows became important. It became a sign of wealth, status, domination. In certain tribes, cows were exchanged for brides.
Genetic mutation: One of the fascinating milk stories involves how humans adapted to consume and digest lactose over time giving rise to biological evolution.
Principles of preservation: One of the ways how milk changed history involves the invention of dairy products. They were initially invented so that milk doesn’t spoil giving way to food wastage
Public health and food safety: In food history, there have been several episodes of health scare arising out of eating spoilt or contaminated milk and milk products. This gave rise to sterner food and public safety regulations.