Italian milk, production record and statutory expiration issue

The Italian milk is experiencing a growth phase. Deliveries to dairies are increasing, self-sufficiency has exceeded 93%, and cheese exports support the entire supply chain. Meanwhile, consumption patterns are changing: fresh milk is losing ground, increasing the yogurt, the kefir and lactose-free milk. In this context, a 2004 national regulation sets by law the expiration date of fresh milk, contrary to European Union law and objectives for reducing food waste.

Growing deliveries and 93% self-sufficiency

In the first eight months of 2026, cow's milk deliveries reached 9,484,757 tons, with an increase of 3.9% compared to the same period in 2025 (CLAL, 2026a). The entire 2025 closed at 13,458,338 tons. Monthly growth remains positive but slows, from +5.28% in January to +2.05% in August (CLAL, 2026a).

At the conference promoted by Assocaseari at B2Cheese on September 24, 2026, CLAL analysts estimated for 2026 a production close to 14 billion liters. The rate of self-sufficiency has risen to 93,2%, compared to about 70% in the years after the end of milk quotas (Realini, 2026). The greater domestic availability has already reduced bulk milk imports by about a quarter. In August the farm gate price stood at around 48 euros per 100 kg in Italy, against a weighted average EU price of 43.16 euros (Realini, 2026).

In 2025 theindustry produced 2,525,000 tons of drinking milk (+2.33%) and 1,218,000 tons of cheese (+0.24%) (CLAL, 2026c). On the domestic market fresh milk continues a structural decline, while mozzarella, grated cheeses and especially yogurt maintain a positive trend (Realini, 2026).

The geography of deliveries

Italian milk remains concentrated in the North. Between January and August 2026 the Lombardy delivered 4,428,763 tons (+4.42%), 46.7% of the national total. At a distance follow Emilia-Romagna with 1,506,255 tons (+5.06%), Piedmont with 897,746 (+5.83%) and Veneto with 877,830 (+3.85%) (CLAL, 2026a). The northern regions and autonomous provinces together account for about 87% of deliveries (processing based on CLAL, 2026a).

The provinces of Brescia (1,255,896 tons) and Cremona (1,138,482) alone exceed one million tons. In the Center-South, Apulia is the leading region with 303,484 tons (-0.64%), followed by Lazio with 157,877 (-14.29%) and Sardinia with 148,573 (-1.40%). Campania grows by 3.38% reaching 120,290 tons (CLAL, 2026a).

Organic milk

Between January and August 2026 deliveries of organic milk were 144,315 tons, substantially stable (-0.27%) compared to 2025. They represent about 1.5% of delivered cow's milk (processing based on CLAL, 2026a, 2026b). TheEmilia-Romagna covers 41% of national organic milk with 59,272 tons (+3.15%), thanks mainly to Modena (+11.95%) and Reggio Emilia (+26.49%). Follow Lombardy with 39,224 tons (-4.55%), the autonomous province of Bolzano with 13,189 (+13.16%) and Veneto with 12,936 (+4.20%) (CLAL, 2026b).

Cheese export and DOP quota

In the first five months of 2026 thedairy export Italian has maintained a positive trend, supported by cheeses. The European market absorbs about 83% of Italian cheese exports (CLAL, 2026d). Outside Europe, shipments are growing to Japan (+8.2%, 5,611 tons), Canada (+9.6%, 4,217 tons) and Saudi Arabia (+24.8%, 1,608 tons) (CLAL, 2026d).

About 46% of the national milk is destined for PDO cheeses, which enhance it more than commodity and help keep the Italian price above the European average (Realini, 2026). The remaining part competes with the European and world market. Hence the interest in new outlets, from semi-finished products currently imported to whey proteins, whose demand is growing in sports nutrition and for infants.

Lactose-free and microfiltered milk

The lactose-free milk is obtained thanks to lactase, i.e. β-galactosidase, which splits lactose into glucose and galactose. It retains the nutrients of milk, including calcium and vitamins, for those who do not digest lactose. Globally, lactose-free has been for years the most dynamic segment of the dairy sector, and Western Europe is its primary market (Dekker et al., 2019). In Italy the claim is included in the 'free from' basket of the Immagino Observatory, which reached sales of 12.5 billion euros (+3.2% in value) in 2025 (GS1 Italy, 2026).

The wording in label follow the rules proposed by the Ministry of Health, pending European harmonization. The indication ‘Lactose free‘ is reserved for milk and dairy products with a residue less than 0.1 g per 100 g or ml. ‘Reduced lactose content‘ is reserved for milks and fermented milks under 0.5 g. The label of the delactosed must also indicate the presence of glucose and galactose resulting from lactose cleavage. Aged cheeses that meet the same thresholds due to aging may also bear the wording ‘naturally lactose-free‘ (Ministry of Health, circulars 7.7.2015 and 16.6.2016; Dongo, 2018).

The Milk microfiltered is instead obtained with special membranes that retain most bacteria and spores before a mild pasteurization. A review by the University of Milan examines microfiltration, high pressure, pulsed electric fields, ohmic heating, microwave, and ultrasound. None of these technologies alone replaces heat treatment. The combination of an alternative technology and moderate heat treatment remains, at present, the only realistic way to achieve pasteurized milk of quality comparable to fresh and with a shelf life longer shelf life (D’Incecco et al., 2021).

Thanks to microfiltration and careful hygiene of the equipment, the shelf life of pasteurized milk increases significantly. A study by Cornell University shows that microfiltration reduces vegetative cells and spores, and that even milk pasteurized by the high-temperature short-time (HTST) method can exceed 21 days of refrigerated storage (Lott et al., 2023). In Italy, however, paradoxically, microfiltered milk lasting more than six days cannot be labeled as 'fresh', as will be seen later.

Possible health benefits across ages

A research group of the FAO and Washington University in St. Louis has reviewed studies on the value of terrestrial animal-based foods, including milk and derivatives, in various life stages with particular nutritional needs. The evidence confirms an important role in pregnancy and breastfeeding, childhood, and old age (Iannotti et al., 2024). The review deepens the FAO 2023 report on the contribution of these foods to healthy diets (Strinati & Dongo, 2023).

For bone development, a randomized study for cluster involved children aged 4-6 years from northwestern China. Those who consumed 390 ml of milk per day for twelve months showed a significant increase in bone density and mineral content of the forearm compared to the control group. The associated meta-analysis, on 894 children, confirms the effect on the upper limbs but not on the lower limbs (Zhao et al., 2024).

In adults, a dose-response meta-analysis of 42 cohort studies associated every 200 grams per day of milk with a lower risk By hypertension (-6%) and of overweight e obesity (-12%). For type 2 diabetes, the association emerged with total dairy products and yogurt, not with milk (Feng et al., 2022).

In elderly a systematic review highlights a possible lower risk By frailty e sarcopenia with the consumption of dairy products, particularly semi-skimmed milk and yogurt. On cognitive decline, results remain mixed (Cuesta-Triana et al., 2019). A cluster randomized trial in 60 Australian aged care homes, with 7,195 residents averaging 86 years old, associated a diet richer in milk, yogurt, and cheese with a reduction of 33% in fractures, 46% of hip fractures and 11% of falls, with no changes in mortality (Iuliano et al., 2021; Dongo & Della Penna, 2021).

Fresh milk, the legally fixed expiration in Italy

In Italy the expiry date of 'pasteurized fresh milk' and 'high-quality pasteurized fresh milk' is not set by the producer but established by law. According to decree-law 157/2004, converted by law 204/2004, it 'is determined on the sixth day following the thermal treatment, unless the producer indicates a shorter period'. The same regulation reserves the term 'fresh' for products 'whose durability does not exceed six days following the date of heat treatment' (d.l. 157/2004, art. 1.1).

In the law of theEuropean Union the expiration date is moreover subject to harmonized rules. It is up to the food business operator to establish – under their sole responsibility – the expiration date ('to be consumed by’. Dongo, 2017) for foods highly perishable from a microbiological point of view (EU reg. 1169/2011, arts. 9.1, lett. 'f', and 24). Durability is determined based on risk analysis and testing of shelf life, according to the approach described by EFSA in its own guidelines (EFSA BIOHAZ Panel, 2020). Few vertical Union rules are exceptions: eggs, for example, have a minimum shelf-life and must be delivered to the consumer within 28 days of laying (EU del. reg. 2023/2465, art. 11.1, lett. ‘d’; Dongo, 2023).

On harmonized matters, Member States may neither adopt nor maintain national measures, unless authorized by Union law (EU regulation 1169/2011, art. 38.1). The only route envisaged concerns additional mandatory indications for specific categories of foods. These must be justified by public health or consumer protection reasons and be notified in advance to the European Commission (EU regulation 1169/2011, articles 39 and 45). The Italian regulation does not fall within this hypothesis, it has never been notified - not even as a technical regulation that affects the production and marketing of foodstuffs (EU directive 2015/1535) - and unjustifiably limits the free movement of goods (TFEU, articles 34 and 36). Furthermore, according to the Court of Justice of the European Union, the unnotified national technical rules are inapplicable, and the national judge must disapply them even in disputes between private parties (judgments 30.4.1996, case C-194/94, CIA Security; 26.9.2000, case C-443/98, Unilever; Dongo, 2019a).

The consequence of this national legal anomaly is an unjust waste of safe and quality milk. The product, made in modern plants and kept in the cold chain, can indeed have a durability well beyond the legally set term – as shown by the literature on HTST pasteurized milk (Lott et al., 2023) – which the responsible operator is free to determine, applying the above criteria.

Moreover, Italian legislation conflicts with the general criteria of Directive (EU) 2025/1892, which requires Member States to reduce food waste by 10% in processing and by 30% per capita among distribution, catering, and households by 31 December 2030, compared to the 2021-2023 average (Dir. EU 2025/1892, amending Dir. 2008/98/EC). According to the European Environment Agency, households generate about 55% of the 132 kg of annual food losses and waste per capita in the EU (Dongo, 2025).

The author has submitted a specific report to the European Commission, received on 3 May 2018, and urged it on 2 July 2019 (Dongo, 2019b). On 22 January 2020, the author reported the European Ombudsman about the Commission’s maladministration for having tolerated the application of national rules contrary to Union law, including those on the expiry of fresh milk (Dongo, 2020). Both initiatives have remained without outcome.

Conclusions

The Italian milk supply chain has reached volumes never seen since the end of quotas and is approaching self-sufficiency. PDO cheeses and exports turn this growth into value, while lactose-free and microfiltered milks respond to evolving consumption. Scientific evidence confirms the contribution of milk to nutrition at different ages. However, it is necessary to align the expiration date of fresh milk with European Union law to reduce waste and unjustified costs, to the benefit of farmers, industry,distribution and consumers.

Dario Dongo

References

European Union normative sources

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2465 of 17 August 2023 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards marketing standards for eggs, and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 589/2008. Consolidated text: 14/10/2024. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2023/2465/2024-10-14

Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. OJ C 202, 7.6.2016. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:12016E/TXT

Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and of rules on Information Society services (codification) (Text with EEA relevance). OJ L 241, 17.9.2015. http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2015/1535/oj

Directive (EU) 2025/1892 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 September 2025 amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste. OJ L, 2025/1892, 26.9.2025. http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2025/1892/oj

Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. Consolidated text: 01/01/2026. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2002/178/2026-01-01

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. Consolidated text: 01/04/2025. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/2025-04-01

Italian normative sources

Decree-law 24 June 2004, No. 157, 'Urgent provisions for the labelling of certain agri-food products, as well as in the field of agriculture and fishing', converted with amendments by law 3 August 2004, No. 204. Normattiva. Latest consolidated version: 20/07/2019. https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legge:2004-06-24;157!vig=

Case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union

Court of Justice, judgment of 30 April 1996, CIA Security International SA v Signalson SA and Securitel SPRL, Case C-194/94. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:61994CJ0194

Court of Justice, judgment of 26 September 2000, Unilever Italia SpA v Central Food SpA, Case C-443/98. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:61998CJ0443

Scientific studies

Cuesta-Triana, F., Verdejo-Bravo, C., Fernández-Pérez, C., & Martín-Sánchez, F. J. (2019). Effect of milk and other dairy products on the risk of frailty, sarcopenia, and cognitive performance decline in the elderly: A systematic review. Advances in Nutrition, 10(suppl_2), S105-S119. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmy105

Dekker, P. J. T., Koenders, D., & Bruins, M. J. (2019). Lactose-free dairy products: Market developments, production, nutrition and health benefits. Nutrients, 11(3), 551. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030551

D’Incecco, P., Limbo, S., Hogenboom, J. A., & Pellegrino, L. (2021). Novel technologies for extending the shelf life of drinking milk: Concepts, research trends and current applications. LWT, 148, 111746. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2021.111746

Dongo, D. (2019a). Food regulations and enforcement in Italy. In Reference module in food science (pp. 1-5). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.21172-4

EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ). (2020). Guidance on date marking and related food information: Part 1 (date marking). EFSA Journal, 18(12), 6306. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6306

Feng, Y., Zhao, Y., Liu, J., Huang, Z., Yang, X., Qin, P., Chen, C., Luo, X., Li, Y., Wu, Y., Li, X., Huang, H., Hu, F., Hu, D., Liu, Y., & Zhang, M. (2022). Consumption of dairy products and the risk of overweight or obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A dose-response meta-analysis and systematic review of cohort studies. Advances in Nutrition, 13(6), 2165-2179. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac096

Iannotti, L., Rueda García, A. M., Palma, G., Fontaine, F., Scherf, B., Neufeld, L. M., Zimmerman, R., & Fracassi, P. (2024). Terrestrial animal source foods and health outcomes for those with special nutrient needs in the life course. Nutrients, 16(19), 3231. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193231

Iuliano, S., Poon, S., Robbins, J., Bui, M., Wang, X., De Groot, L., Van Loan, M., Zadeh, A. G., Nguyen, T., & Seeman, E. (2021). Effect of dietary sources of calcium and protein on hip fractures and falls in older adults in residential care: Cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 375, n2364. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n2364

Lott, T. T., Martin, N. H., Dumpler, J., Wiedmann, M., & Moraru, C. I. (2023). Microbacterium represents an emerging microorganism of concern in microfiltered extended shelf-life milk products. Journal of Dairy Science, 106(12), 8434-8448. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-23734

Zhao, Z. F., Li, B. Y., He, Q., Hao, J. Y., Zhang, K. S., Zhang, B., Hu, W., Feng, H. T., Szeto, I. M., Chen, Y. M., Zhang, G. X., & Tang, X. Y. (2024). Impact of dairy supplementation on bone acquisition in children’s limbs: A 12-month cluster-randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis. Archives of Osteoporosis, 19(1), 65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-024-01422-2

Market and production data

CLAL. (2026a). Italy: Monthly milk deliveries by region and province, 2026 (source AGEA, update 10/26/2026). https://www.clal.it/index.php?section=consegne_reg_it&year=2026

CLAL. (2026b). Italy: Monthly organic milk deliveries by region and province (source AGEA, update 10/26/2026). https://teseo.clal.it/clal20/?section=consegne_reg_bio_it

CLAL. (2026c). Brief summaries: productions. https://www.clal.it/clal20/?section=riepilogo_produzioni3

CLAL. (2026d, August 21). Dairy exports worldwide. Summary first semester 2026, Italy focus January-May 2026. https://news.clal.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Focus-dairy-export-CLAL.pdf

GS1 Italy. (2026). Immagino Observatory, 19th edition (data January-December 2025). https://gs1it.org/files/sharing/1784198662/4215/gs1-italy-osservatorio-immagino-19.pdf

Realini, A. (2026, September 25). Italian milk towards 14 billion liters: production grows, the balance issue returns. InsiderDairy. https://insiderdairy.com/latte-italiano-verso-14-miliardi-di-litri-cresce-la-produzione-torna-il-nodo-dellequilibrio/

Insights

Dongo, D. (2017, 21 September). Expiration date or TMC? Lawyer Dario Dongo responds. DO. https://www.foodagriculturerequirements.com/notizie/domande-e-risposte/data-di-scadenza-o-tmc-risponde-lavvocato-dario-dongo/

Dongo, D. (2018, 19 November). Lactose-free, ABC. Food Times. https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/consumatori-e-salute/senza-lattosio-abc/

Dongo, D. (2019b, 24 July). Food waste, our battle on fresh milk. Food Times. https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/consumatori-e-salute/sprechi-alimentari-la-nostra-battaglia-sul-latte-fresco/

Dongo, D. (2020, 27 January). Plant location, origin and milk expiration decrees, GIFT files a complaint to the European mediator. Food Times. https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/consumatori-e-salute/sede-stabilimento-decreto-origine-e-scadenza-latte-gift-denuncia-la-commissione-al-mediatore-europeo/

Dongo, D. (2023, January 15). Fresh eggs, extended from 21 to 28 days the ‘sell-by date’ in the EU. Food Times. https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/sistemi-alimentari/uova-fresche-estesa-da-21-a-28-giorni-la-sell-by-date-in-ue/

Dongo, D. (2025, April 28). Food losses and waste in Europe, the biennial EEA report. Food Times. https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/sistemi-alimentari/food-loss-waste-europa-eea-rapporto-2025/

Dongo, D., & Della Penna, A. A. (2021, November 1). Dairy products and reduction of fracture risks in the elderly, clinical study. Food Times. https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/consumatori-e-salute/latticini-e-riduzione-dei-rischi-di-fratture-negli-anziani-studio-clinico/

Strinati, M., & Dongo, D. (2023, May 8). Animal source foods necessary for nutrition and health, FAO report. Food Times. https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/consumatori-e-salute/alimenti-di-origine-animale-necessari-a-nutrizione-e-salute-rapporto-fao/