INSIDE BE THE CHANGE The milk of mammals shortly after birth, the so-called first milk, also known as colostrum, is rich in valuable substances that build up and strengthen the immune system of infants. Substances that are also incredibly good for the immune system of adults. Barbara Stolba and Sven Altorfer, the founding duo of Swiss Health & Nutrition, make use of exactly this in their colostrum products.
Barbara Stolba, Sven Altorfer, like every winter we discuss the sense and nonsense of food supplements that are supposed to strengthen our immune system. It is all the more important to note that colostrum is not one of them and is considered a conventional food.
Sven Altorfer: A look at food law also helps. Here, colostrum is defined as a 'special type of food'. So no, colostrum is definitely not a food supplement.
Nevertheless, it is a “food of a special kind”. This requires a more detailed explanation.
Sven Altorfer: In short, colostrum is the milk of mammals and of course also of humans, which is secreted in the first 72 hours after birth. Shortly before birth, all immune factors accumulate - these are flushed out during the first suckling. Colostrum is therefore the most nutritious milk with all the important immune factors so that the immune system of the newborn can develop. It is therefore also called first milk.
«Colostrum is recommended for everyone who wants to do something good for their health in a natural way.»
You only use cow colostrum for your products. Why?
Barbara Stolba: There are various reasons for this. On the one hand, a cow - unlike a goat or a sheep - produces colostrum in excess. This means that we are not taking anything away from the animals. On the other hand, a calf, unlike a newborn child, does not have an immune system at all. The colostrum of a cow is therefore much more potent than that of humans. We can use the immune factors in cow colostrum in exactly the same way as a calf.
So colostrum is the first food for newborns, whether humans or animals. What can we adults do with it?
Altorfer: To put it somewhat exaggeratedly, we often damage our intestines with an unhealthy lifestyle and diet. Colostrum helps to repair this damage, purify the intestines and expose the intestinal villi. In short, it ensures that the microbiome, i.e. the intestine as a whole, with all its mucous membranes and good bacteria, is in good condition.
"The problem with pasteurization is that all active substances, including antibodies, are destroyed. We have therefore invented a new filtration technique that produces a food-safe and highly pure product without any heat. "
This is good for your intestines. But how does our immune system benefit from colostrum?
Altorfer: There is something called leaky gut syndrome, also known as intestinal permeability syndrome. This is now a normal phenomenon of civilization and has a significant impact on our immune system. With leaky gut syndrome, the intestinal mucosa is cracked and permeable, and incompletely broken down molecules can get from the digestive tract into the bloodstream. These proteins and acids have no place there in this form and can be responsible for migraines or allergic reactions.
Stolba: By repairing our intestinal mucosa, colostrum indirectly strengthens our immune system. It is said that around 80 percent of our immune system takes place in the intestines. If everything is OK down there, we are usually fine.
Stolba: It used to be common practice for farms to bake colostrum cakes, that is, pastries with colostrum in them, to support the immune system. So we haven't invented anything new, we've simply taken what Mother Nature has to offer. The old tradition of colostrum cakes is actually being revived.
The product itself is not a new invention, but the filtration technology that eliminates the need to heat the colostrum is.
Stolba: Exactly, the problem with pasteurization is that all the active substances are destroyed. And that includes the antibodies, of which we actually want to preserve as many as possible. That's why we've taken a completely new approach.
Altorfer: And we invented a new filtration technology, actually a technology mix of dairy farming and fruit juice production. The aim of the latter is also to retain as many vitamins as possible. Colostrum is relatively viscous, so it cannot be processed into cheese or other dairy products. We therefore separate the fat and casein, creating a classic whey - a whey made from colostrum. And this aqueous solution then passes through the filters, which ensure that a food-safe and highly pure product is created without any heat.
Stolba: A product that can be kept for up to three years without refrigeration. This is also very unusual and is only available in this form in Switzerland.
The organic aspect is also important to you.
Stolba: That's right, we collect the excess colostrum ourselves on the farms. We have set up an upcycling process, as this surplus would otherwise not be used. So we not only process it, but we also know the name of the cow it comes from. And can therefore ensure that all standards are met.
Altorfer: Among other things, that there is really a surplus of colostrum and that we do not take anything away from the cow or the calf. And that the calf is not separated from its mother after birth.
"By repairing our intestinal mucosa, colostrum indirectly strengthens our immune system. It is said that around 80 percent of our immune system takes place in the intestines. If everything is OK down there, we are usually fine."
And the finished products with colostrum? Are they more for people with weak immune systems or also for those who are generally healthy?
Altorfer: For the average consumer, it has a preventative effect. However, if intestinal problems occur, which we often don't even know about, colostrum helps to repair the damage and thus strengthen the immune system.
Stolba: Colostrum is recommended for everyone who wants to do something good for their health in a natural way.
