Remember malted milk? In the 1970s and 1980s, it was definitely a luxury item in the family. Only when guests came would they drink it seriously. Children usually take advantage of the fact that adults are not at home to dig out the tin cans of malted milk and take a few bites secretly.
Ten years ago, Zhou Libo, a Shanghai-style clear-mouthed actor who had just become popular on the Internet, successfully evoked a wave of memories because he told a joke about malted milk. To this day, memories and nostalgia for malted milk can still be seen on the Internet from time to time.
This once "household essential" seems to have disappeared from many people's lives overnight.
▍What exactly is malted milk?
In 2009, Zhou Libo had a joke in "Thirty Years of Laughter", saying that when he went to a classmate's house as a guest, the classmate's mother made him a cup of malted milk, but when he picked up the cup, he saw that Look through the cup and see the other side. Taking a closer look, there were five or six grains of malted milk lying at the bottom of the cup, and the classmate’s mother kept urging: “Adjust it, adjust it.”
▲For many people, malted milk powder comes with With their growth
In that era when material was not abundant, even malted milk had to be sparingly brewed.
Children will certainly not be satisfied with such a "thirsty-quenching" way of eating. What they love most is to scoop up the malted milk with a spoon and put it directly into their mouths, chewing it crunchily. Full of sweet aroma, very enjoyable.
However, this way of eating seemed too wasteful for that frugal era, so the children could only take a few bites secretly when the adults were not at home, and even put the wheat milk on them. The position of the sperm tank was restored and arranged to avoid leaking any clues, otherwise there is a high probability that you will not be able to escape a fat beating
What exactly is malted milk, and was it worth taking such a big risk for the children of those days?
▲Malt milk essence raw materials. Picture/7788
The name malted milk is actually very real. The three words cover most of the raw materials.
"Mai" refers to "malt essence", which is produced using Ershu barley as the main raw material and produced through germination, baking, saccharification and other processes;
"Milk" refers to Cream, milk powder, condensed milk, etc. used in malted milk formula;
"Essence" refers to the raw materials such as glucose, maltose, malt extract, etc. used in the production of malted milk. These raw materials have a certain degree of paste. Essence content.
According to this classification, in addition to the well-known malted milk and Rokofu, there are many solid drinks that actually belong to the malted milk category, such as Horlicks, Milo and Ovaltine .
▍Where did the world’s first cup of malted milk come from?
In the world of malted milk, the most famous one is Horlicks. More than a hundred years ago, Horlicks was the world's first malted milk.
▲Horlicks. Picture/conveniencestore
In the mid-19th century, the only food for babies was still breast milk. However, if the mother did not have milk due to health or other reasons, the baby's survival would be threatened.
In 1867, the German chemist Liebig invented a product called "baby soup", whose main ingredients were wort, wheat and milk, and advertised it in newspapers, becoming the world's earliest commercial product. Chemicalized infant formula.
At that time, in addition to chemists like Liebig, there were many companies also researching and producing baby food, such as the Horlick brothers from the UK.
▲William Horlick
Brother James Horlick was a chemist who worked for a dry baby food company, and he tried to transform it in the UK , producing "baby soup" products, but it was not successful.
His brother William Horlick immigrated to the United States across the Atlantic in 1869. Four years later, James also came to Chicago. The brothers established the "Jamp; W Horlicks" company. Produces baby food.
▲The factory of "J&W Horlicks" company. Picture/horl
In 1883, the malted milk beverage produced by the brothers obtained U.S. Patent No. 278967 because the solid powder beverage they produced could be brewed in hot water. When the drink began to be sold in 1887, it was officially named "malted milk."
Because the solid powder is lightweight, easy to carry, non-perishable and high in calories, Horlicks quickly made its way out of baby food and became the perfect emergency kit.
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, polar explorers began to conduct expeditions. Horlicks Company also followed this trend and sponsored polar expeditions. Malted milk was also brought to the Antarctic and Arctic.
▲Horlicks was taken to the Pole. Picture/Wikipedia
In order to commemorate the US$30,000 sponsorship from Horlicks, mountaineer Richard Byrd also named a mountain range on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica "Holicks" Horlicks Mountains.
In addition to polar expeditions, malted milk also appears in wars. It became an energy drink for soldiers in both World War I and World War II, and even became part of the escape equipment of Allied aircrews in World War II.
After the war, malted milk also appeared at the 1948 London Olympics. In more than 100 years, malted milk has transformed from a baby food into a world-famous beverage.
▍In China, malted milk was once a luxury product
For Chinese people outside Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, Horlicks is still a bit strange, but the more familiar one is actually Domestic malted milk.
▲Shanghai Malted Milk
The first malted milk produced in China dates back to the 1930s, and it was actually produced by a pharmaceutical factory, Shanghai Jiu. Fu Pharmaceutical Factory.
Huang Chujiu, the founder of Jiufu Pharmaceutical Factory, is also a legend in Shanghai. In his early years, he sold eye medicines, opened clinics, and pharmaceutical factories. He founded China's first pharmaceutical group and later crossed over into entertainment. circle and founded Shanghai World.
▲Shanghai World was once the most attractive entertainment venue for citizens
However, after Huang Chujiu passed away in 1931, many companies he founded encountered operating difficulties. Huang Chujiu’s son-in-law Zang Boyong took over Jiufu Pharmaceutical Factory is no exception.
In order to cope with the company's difficulties, Zang Boyong set his sights on the food manufacturing industry. At that time, Ovomaltine (Ovomaltine, the original name of Ovomaltine) was selling very well in Shanghai, so Jiufu Pharmaceutical Factory imported the formula from Switzerland and developed the domestically produced "Ovomaltine" in 1937.
Lekofu malted milk sold very well after it was launched. However, with the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War, the situation became increasingly turbulent, imported raw materials were also affected, and the production of malted milk also faced difficulties. .
By 1949, Jiufu Pharmaceutical Factory had only 11 employees left, and malted milk was on the verge of discontinuation.
In 1953, Jiufu Pharmaceutical Factory was one of the first public-private partnerships and no longer produced food, and Lekofu Malted Milk was completely discontinued.
▲Exported Lekofu. Picture/7788
Until 1961, the Shanghai Coffee Factory took over this product, continued to use the "福" trademark, and named it Lekofu. The products produced at that time were mainly exported abroad.
According to the records of the Shanghai Coffee Factory, during the Cultural Revolution, the "福" trademark and name of domestically sold Lekofu were regarded as "four olds", and they were forced to change the domestically sold Lekofu to "Shanghai Brand Malted Milk" ”, but sales have not been affected.
However, in the 1970s, because Brazilian cocoa beans could not be imported, the production of malted milk was seriously affected, so the Shanghai Coffee Factory improved the formula and studied malted milk without cocoa powder. Essence and nutritional fortification, this is the "Shanghai brand fortified malted milk"
▲This is the malted milk that many people remember. Picture/Text Huibao
The "innovation" results continued thereafter, and products such as "Ginseng Malted Milk", "Coconut Malted Milk", and "Red Date Malted Milk" appeared successively.
Shanghai malted milk is becoming more and more popular, and food factories in other places have also joined the ranks of producing malted milk.
In 1985, the first national malted milk high-quality product evaluation meeting was held in Tianjin, and 6 national high-quality malted milk products were evaluated:
1. Shanghai Shanghai Coffee Factory with the word "Fu" Brand Lekofu; 2. Shanghai Dairy Factory No. 2 Guangming brand malted milk (cocoa type); 3. Guangzhou brand malted milk from Guangzhou Dairy Factory in Guangdong Province; 4. Taihu brand fortified malted milk from Wuxi Dairy Factory in Jiangsu Province; 5. Great Wall brand cocoa almond malted milk from Tianjin Great Wall Food Factory; 6. Wanda brand cocoa type and fortified malted milk from Heilongjiang Wandashan Food Factory.
▲Tianjin Malted Milk
After the 1990s, as materials gradually became more abundant, malted milk became less "precious". Even the former malted milk The first brand, "Fu" brand Lekofu was also transferred to the Swiss company Novartis. Later, it went through several changes, but it has lost its former glory.
▍I never expected that Ovaltine is also a type of malted milk
By the time those born in the 1980s and 1990s grew older, malted milk was no longer popular. Dominating the TV screen are Golego and Ovaltine from abroad.
Many parents buy it to supplement their children’s nutrition, but in fact, Ovaltine is also malted milk.
Ovaltine’s competitor at the same time, Collet, is not malted milk because its main ingredient is cocoa powder and does not contain malt or dairy ingredients.
▲Like many malted milks, everyone found that the best way to eat Ovaltine is to eat it dry, so the Ovaltine company simply produced smart beans that can be eaten dry, which many people loved when they were children. Snacks
Ovaltine was born in Switzerland in 1904. Its German name is Ovomaltine, "ovum" means egg, and "malt" means malt. The name is as straightforward as malted milk. Later, Ovaltine Just add cocoa powder to the recipe.
In the beginning, Ovaltine was the designated drink after many ice and snow sports in Switzerland, because a cup of freshly brewed Ovaltine can both warm up the body and replenish physical strength. However, in the East, it transformed into a "good nourishing food".
Whether it was in Shanghai in the 1930s or Hong Kong in the 1940s, Ovaltine advertisements appeared as nutritional products. It seems that when malted milk powder around the world was first marketed, The ideas are similar.
▲In the 1930s, an advertisement for Huafu Malted Milk (the original name of Ovaltine)
It was not until the 1970s that Ovaltine launched a new marketing strategy in Hong Kong. It gradually became a popular drink. Today, traces of Ovaltine can still be found in many tea restaurants in Hong Kong.
However, Ovaltine’s marketing to children has not changed.
In 1988, Ovaltine launched a TV commercial in Hong Kong, with the background of the "arm wrestling" between the powerful pirate and the children. After drinking a glass of Ovaltine, the little boy became stronger and finally defeated the powerful pirate. .
In 1997, Ovaltine was featured in a TV commercial in the Mainland. Children who drank Ovaltine would become smarter and could easily solve math problems set by their teachers. As a result, everyone said, "Drink Ovaltine." Tian’s children are really amazing.”
Now, of course, we all know that Ovaltine is not so magical.
▍Many delicacies are destined to be passers-by in life
Nowadays, malted milk is of course no longer popular, and it is even hard to find. Therefore, on forums and social networking sites, people often ask, why has malted milk disappeared? I really want to buy another can.
In fact, as long as you are a little careful or attentive, you will find that the Lekofu and fortified malted milk powder of that year are available on e-commerce websites, and it is not troublesome to buy them.
The reason for this embarrassing situation is actually that malted milk is no longer important to contemporary people’s lives.
▲There are reports that there are supermarkets selling malted milk in Shanghai, but only occasionally elderly people come to buy a can.
In the era of material scarcity, The malt, milk powder, egg powder and other ingredients contained in malted milk can indeed supplement nutrition, but now, these nutrients are not lacking, and there are better alternatives.
In addition, the sugar content exceeding 30 will also make modern people worry about whether their sugar intake will exceed the standard if they drink a few more sips.
What's more, the taste of malted milk is not that irreplaceable. In addition, compared with ready-to-drink drinks, prepared drinks are not convenient, so even Ovaltine, in the end, The most common place to see it is also in milk tea shops.
Many factors are doomed that malted milk will never have its former glory.
Every tiny change in industry, technology, and the times will inadvertently affect our lives. Materials are changing, people's lifestyles are changing, and some delicacies are destined to enter the history books.
Like malted milk, they may still become the details of our memories one day, but it is difficult to become the protagonist of life again.