A team of three students from FirstSteps School in India have won the Best in Region award for their research into how the quality of a cow’s environment affects the nutritional value of its milk.
Viraj Sahi, Aarvish Gupta and Jannat Madaan analysed milk from three sources: a national consumer brand, a gaushala (cow shelter) and a local milk producer. They tested each milk for sugar, protein, zinc, fat and calcium concentration, as well as assessing pH level, colour, flavour and density. Their findings highlighted that the cows with the best environmental conditions – the local producer – produced the most nutritious milk.
The judges commented that the trio’s research ‘took an original approach with important real-life implications considered from the global to the local context’. They commended the team’s varied methods and understanding of chemistry, and highlighted their analysis as a particular strong point.
Speaking on his experiences during the competition, Viraj Sahi said:
‘My research showed me that moving towards sustainability isn’t just possible; it is imperative. Working on this project has made me closer to my friends and the local community (cows included). It has also taught me how to persevere and keep going, even if that means spending hours in a lab, covered in cloth, dropping Benedict’s solution into a vial of milk.’