Raw Milk May Be Natural, But It's Naturally a Risk

“Raw” milk is showing up more and more often in supermarkets and at specialty health food stores and farmers markets, along with cheese, yogurt and other milk-based products. It's part of the “eating local” and “back to nature” philosophy that's currently in vogue.

Besides thinking it tastes better, many consumers are now convinced that raw milk is more nutritious and healthful than pasteurized milk.

Simply put, it's not true, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Pasteurization is used because it prevents outbreaks of such foodborne illnesses as tuberculosis, brucellosis, salmonellosis, scarlet fever, and listeriosis. It was first used in the United States more than 100 years ago and has been widely used for more than a half-century, says John Sheehan, an FDA expert on the safety of dairy products.

During the pasteurization process, the milk is heated to 161 degrees and kept there for 15 seconds. Pasteurization kills harmful bacteria—including salmonella, E. coli, and listeria—that can contaminate milk before it gets to your table.

Although the heating process slightly affects a few of the vitamins—thiamine, vitamin B6 and folic acid within the B-complex, and vitamin C, the changes are not significant,according to the FDA.

Meanwhile, there is a risk that milk could be contaminated by environmental factors such as soil or animal feces, animal diseases, or bacteria on an animal's skin.

Artisanal cheese

Besides milk, there is currently more raw cheese on the market because of the growth of the artisanal cheese industry, Sheehan says. These cheeses are made by hand using what are considered to be traditional methods—often on the farm where the milk is produced.

Some of these cheese makers use pasteurized milk in their products, but others use raw milk that could contain disease-causing bacteria.

Some people believe cheese made from raw milk is better for you, but Sheehan says there is no scientific evidence to support that belief.

In countries where pasteurization of milk is less common, outbreaks of foodborne illness attributed to tainted milk or milk products occur more frequently than they do in the United States. In France, for example, the rate of foodborne illness attributed to milk and milk products was reported to be roughly three times what it is in the U.S., says Sheehan, citing a 2001 study by researcher Marie-Laure De Buyser and other French scientists.

Laws governing raw milk vary from state to state. About half allow some form of it to be sold. But federal lawprohibits dairies from distributing raw milk across state lines if it has been packaged for consumers.

It's up to consumers to be alert when buying milk at farmers markets and other non-traditional sources. Sheehan advises reading labels carefully and asking the store or market persononel if the milk has been Pasteurized.

Consumers should also be aware, health officials say, that they are not only endangering themselves by consuming raw milk but also others they may come in contact with. Foodborne illnesses may not be serious for healthy people but are especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.