ABSTRACT
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient known for its antioxidant properties and its role in immune function. This study is aimed at comparing the vitamin C content in fresh cow milk, milked directly from the cows, branded powdered and branded liquid milk samples collected from Kaduna State, Nigeria. Samples of branded powdered and liquid milk were collected from retail stores in Kaduna Central Market, while fresh cow milk samples were collected from Fulani herdsmen settlements in Kawo, Badarawa, and Angwan Shanu areas in the region. A total of 18 samples, from which three (3) fresh cow milk, nine (9) branded powdered milk, and six (6) liquid milk were obtained. A colorimetric method was employed to measure the vitamin C concentrations in all the milk samples. Fresh milk samples from Angwan Shanu had the highest vitamin C content of 0.125±0.003 mg/L, Badarawa followed with a slightly lower vitamin C content of 0.111±0.00 mg/L, which was still significantly higher than the content in Kawo with 0.092±0.001 mg/L. For the powered milk samples, Loyal milk had the highest vitamin C content (0.800±0.006 mg/kg), significantly higher than all other samples. Peak followed with 0.192±0.002 mg/kg, marking a notable difference compared to other brands except Loya. For the branded liquid milk samples, Luna with 0.064±0.001 mg/L and Peak 0.058±0.001 mg/L had moderate vitamin C levels, but they were significantly lower than those of 3 Crown and Popular. These findings provide valuable insights into the importance of processing methods in preserving the nutritional quality of milk.