Leipzig, Germany  - Sterilized flavoured milk drinks have fewer vitamins than similar drinks made from pasteurized or ultra-high temperature milk, noted Germany's Saxony Consumer Advice Centre.

It said consumers could tell that chocolate or vanilla milk had been sterilized if it had a shelf life of a year or more. Such products often are not kept in refrigerated display cases, it added.

The centre advised consumers to carefully read the list of ingredients in flavoured drinks made from milk, yoghurt or whey. Producers are required to state the percentage of the ingredient that gives the product its name, for example chocolate or strawberry.

The centre pointed out that the percentage was often very small, or the taste was created wholly with food colouring, artificial flavourings and thickeners.

It said flavoured milk drinks were unsuitable as thirst quenchers because their richness in calories made them comparable to a snack. Exceptions, it said, were buttermilk drinks and fruit whey diluted with mineral water. (dpa)