Non un alimento qualsiasi. Riflessioni sull’industrializzazione del latte alimentare in Italia nell’Otto e Novecento

The essay deals with the development of the fresh milk supply chain in Italy during the 20th century. At the beginning of the century, milk was generally considered a risky and unhealthy drink for the urban population. Its establishment as a food fitted to everyone is due to a combination of sanitary, technological, industrial and social factors, both national and international grounded. Moreover, milk has benefited from corporate strategies and public policies aiming to the production and the diffusion of a safer and more diversified product, and to the strong improvements in cattle breeding. This led to a process of convergence in milk consumption between the Italian regions, and between Italy and other European countries.