Pink milk, generally speaking, can refer to a few different things, most commonly flavored milk with a pink hue or, more rarely, the actual milk produced by hippos.
Here's a breakdown:
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Flavored Milk: This is the most common understanding of "pink milk." It's typically cow's milk that has been flavored, often with strawberry. Other pink-colored flavors could be used as well.
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Hippo Milk: While rare and not commercially available, hippo milk is naturally bright pink. The pink color comes from two unique acids secreted by hippos: hipposudoric acid and norhipposudoric acid. While hipposudoric acid is reddish and sometimes referred to as "blood sweat" (though it's neither blood nor sweat), it contributes to the overall pink hue of their milk. These acids are thought to act as a natural sunscreen and antibiotic for the hippos.
In summary, when someone refers to "pink milk," they are most likely talking about strawberry-flavored milk. However, it's also a fascinating fact that hippos produce actual pink milk due to the presence of specific acids in their secretions.
