Raw Milk: Not So Controversial for Us

Milk is a near perfect food and it is natural. It can be transformed into endless varieties of ice cream, yogurt and cheese, to name a few yummy examples. Everybody should drink plenty of milk (or milk substitute if there are dietary restrictions to consider). It has a short shelf life because it is rich medium that bacteria thrive in.

Advocates for raw milk have gained momentum and they can be quite vocal. They expound its virtues as a healing elixir and want to be able to buy it at the local grocery.

It is true that some nutrients could be lost in the pasteurizing process and that dairy farms are quite a bit cleaner in their milking operations compared to past years. The sanitary modern milking parlors also lessen the likelihood of introducing pathogenic gram positives such as Staphylococcus aureus or even enteric bacteria. Local farmers selling raw milk may likely have smaller dairy operations than the typical neighbor farm that sells milk for income. Each produces a set of common and unique variables that have to be addressed on a daily basis to ensure consumers don’t get sick. It is a personal choice.

The fact remains that raw milk sold from animals that produce it carries a giant risk for spreading mycobacteria and Brucella, as well as other pathogens, if conditions are right. Disease-causing mycobacteria and Brucella species need a warm-blooded animal host to produce disease. But the bacteria will thrive in refrigerated temperatures. These pathogens are highly transmissible from cows, goats, pigs and other livestock to humans. In fact, Tuberculosis and Brucellosis are highly contagious in raw milk and soft cheeses.

Non-pasteurized milk is absolutely not safe for children. Their bodies are not immunocompetant enough to withstand the insult. Adults can get very sick also. Most often, the bacterial count is low enough that the body automatically attacks the invaders, and you never knew there was a fight. Treatment for TB takes approximately 9 months in many cases, and that is after the many months that it takes to get established in the body and produce symptoms. Brucellosis is not inherently treatable and is likely to become a chronic condition.

A few items to consider:

1. Protect your child and buy them pasteurized milk. Drink milk with them at meals and make it an excellent lifelong habit.

2. Infants should be nursed, if possible. Passive immunity is passed onto babies in this way until the baby starts to produce his own antibodies and other cellular defenses.

3. If you must drink raw milk (and it is legal to sell it in 22 states), go directly to the farm where it is produced. Look for high standards of cleanliness.

4. At the farm, ask about milking methods. There should be minimum time and steps to get milk into the bottle. The least amount of handling is better.

5. Documentation is a key to recognizing and ensuring the best practices are being followed. Regulations vary, and it not a bad idea to get familiar with them to know if your milk producer has what it takes to supply a healthy product for your family.