Is Your A2 Milk Truly A2? How to Verify Its Authenticity

A2 milk comes at a premium, and given its benefits, most of us don’t mind paying the price. But let’s be honest—there’s always that nagging doubt:

"Am I really getting pure A2 milk?"

With so many brands claiming to offer A2 milk, and every vendor saying the same thing, how do you separate fact from marketing hype?

Let’s break it down step by step.

What is A2 Milk?

Simply put, A2 refers to the type of beta-casein protein present in milk. All mammals originally produced A2 protein, but over the last few centuries, genetic mutations in certain Western cow breeds (like Holstein Friesian and Jersey) introduced A1 protein into their milk.

✅ A2 milk comes from cows that have pure A2 genetics, meaning they produce milk with only the A2 protein and no A1 protein.

❌Regular cow milk (or mixed A1-A2 milk) comes from cows that have a combination of both proteins. Breed wise averages -

Do All Desi Cows Produce A2 Milk?

Not necessarily. While Indian (Desi) cow breeds like Sahiwal, Gir, Rathi, and Tharparkar naturally have the genetics for producing pure A2 milk, years of crossbreeding with foreign breeds have led to genetic dilution, even amongst many of our Desi cows (or Desi looking cows) - An illustration of a crossbred cow below.

So, how do you guarantee that your A2 milk is truly A2?

👉 The only way to be 100% certain is if every single cow in the herd is genetically tested for A2. OR If one can trace the pedigree of cows to ensure 100% indigenous genetics. Without this, there is no way to verify purity.

How to Check if Your A2 Milk is Genuinely A2

Here are a few red flags and indicators to help you evaluate your A2 milk provider.

1️⃣ Is Your Milk Provider an Aggregator or a Producer?

There are two types of A2 milk sellers:

🔹 Aggregators: They collect milk from multiple dairy farms and sell it under a brand. Since most farms don’t keep pure Desi cows, the chances of mixing A1 milk into A2 are high.

🔹 Producers: These are farms that own their own herd of Desi cows and have full control over purity.

🚩 Red Flag: If the price of an aggregator’s A2 milk is only slightly higher than regular milk, it’s a major warning sign. Keeping pure Desi cows is expensive, and the cost of real A2 milk reflects that.

2️⃣The “Showcase Farm” Trap

Some brands claim to have their own farms but still source extra milk from outside.

🚨 How to spot this?

A pure Desi cow produces only 3.5 to 5 liters per day.
A farm producing 500 liters per day should have at least 125 cows (not counting calves).
If a farm has only 50 cows but sells milk as if they have 200 cows, where is the extra milk coming from? 🤔

👉 Visit the farm, see the herd size, and ask questions!

3️⃣ Is the Milk Processed or Raw?

If your milk is pasteurized or heavily processed, it CANNOT be tested for A2 in a lab.

🔹 Raw milk is required for lab testing.
🔹 If your provider does not allow independent testing, that’s a red flag.

💡Pro Tip: Try to choose a milk provider who delivers fresh, raw, and unprocessed A2 milk.

4️⃣ Certifications: Do They Really Mean Anything?

Here’s the harsh truth: Regulatory environment in our country is weak. As of now there is no implementation of A2 claim verification mechanism.

So, how do brands claim certification?

Some test just one cow for A2 and then market all their milk as A2.
Others borrow test results from farms that actually have pure Desi cows. (Yes, we’ve received such requests!)

Final Thoughts: Trust, Transparency & Due Diligence

Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut to verifying A2 milk authenticity. The best way is to:

🔹 Visit the farm. See the cows, ask about breed purity.
🔹 Check the numbers. Does their production match their herd size?
🔹 Ask the right questions. Do they test their cows? About breeding practices?
🔹 Gauge their intent. A farm that genuinely cares about Desi Cows will be transparent and open.

At the end of the day, A2 milk is not just a product—it’s about trust. Choose a provider that values authenticity over marketing.

Real A2 Milk