Fresh milk from Italy

The news that the hot weather in Australia has more than doubled the cost of the essential raw material for plastic wrapped cheese slices in China and active yogurt in Europe comes as something of a surprise.

What has Australian milk got to do with my morning muesli? And why is the imported milk from Austria in our local supermarket a whopping 40% cheaper than a litre from the Rome Milk Centrale.

Not only that, the south Austrian milk has been processed in such a modern way that it retains much of the original odour, straight out of the churn if you like.

It's all to do with subsidies and global markets, but there may just be a chance that the little guys are fighting back.

Last year we dropped by a refrigerated milk dispenser near a hypermarket in Tuscany. The device distributes fresh and untouched cows milk to all, and it tastes delicious.

Perhaps inspired, a Roman entrepreneur is allowing the capital's citizens to purchase such milk from a mobile dispenser which visits the morning markets.

A liter costs 1 euro, around 40 euros cents under the average supermarket price.

But here's the rub. Just as our entrepreneur was slowly gaining consensus the Chambers of Commerce seized a number of the dispensers over the summer. 

Not for hygiene or public health reasons, but because the system which delivered the milk at time of purchase did not meet the norms for liquid measurement.