We live in an interesting time. Advances in technology allow us to communicate instantly across the globe. The plethora of nutritional supplements and wellness venues strive to improve our longevity. Yet, decades-old technology and scientific discoveries that have eliminated life threatening childhood disease (which some of us remember), have improved the safety of our food, and ultimately have improved our health seem to have lost their inherent value.
Such is the case of milk! A simple and naturally produced product that comes predominantly from cows, sheep or goats provides life to its own and to the humans who drink it. But the aura surrounding its production, safety and nutrition contributions is anything but simple!
For those of us whose livelihood has or does depend on the cows that produce it, the controversy around raw milk is not new. In fact, it’s a century old debate! The pasteurization of milk was the solution to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis 100 years ago. Today, it’s the same answer to keep bird flu from being transmitted from animals to humans.1
Regardless of what you see on social media or news links — the reality has not changed. Raw milk is a “raw deal” when weighing risks versus benefits.
Health Risks Are Real
The author as a child on her family dairy farm
I grew up on our dairy farm, understanding the potential bacterial risks that exist with raw milk. Until my brother and I were older, my mother pasteurized our own milk with a home milk pasteurizer to prevent any potential disease or sickness. My family kept our cows and milking equipment clean but didn’t ignore that foodborne illnesses could still be an issue, especially with kids.
Pathogens found in raw milk include E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Listeria, among others 2 when not destroyed by pasteurization. Symptoms individuals can incur from the known raw milk pathogens range from the typical foodborne illness “gastro” symptoms to the more severe such Guillain-Barré, septicemia or meningitis.
Even though today’s technology can detect and treat infections early in dairy herds and sanitation techniques are followed, transmission can still occur through udder infections, manure or contact with human skin.
Nutrition Benefits — Myth Over Merit
The perceived health benefit of raw milk is often cited as a reason for consumption, but this is a myth that prevails over merit. Over the years, research has shown there is little to no difference in the nutritional value between raw and pasteurized milk. Pasteurization does not change the protein quality of the product.
Likewise, the concentration of key contributing nutrients found in milk like calcium, phosphorus, fat-soluble vitamins A and E and riboflavin is unchanged as all are heat stable. Minor losses of Vitamin C or B (less than 10%) are shown in pasteurized milk. However, milk is not a naturally high source of any of these vitamins. The nutrient composition of milk is more likely to be altered by what the cows eat rather than how the milk is processed.
In addition to nutrient concerns, raw milk has been cited for its ability to cure or prevent numerous conditions, including lactose intolerance and allergies. Lactose is the naturally occurring sugar in milk, whether it’s raw or pasteurized. As mentioned, the protein quality or content doesn’t change if it’s raw or not, so the claim about treating allergies is also a myth. In addition, there are no beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in raw milk that could help gastrointestinal health.
Public Health or Personal Freedom?
Raw milk concerns and controversies have existed for 100 years. In 1924, the U.S. Public Health Service found merit in the technique known as pasteurization and adopted a regulation now called the Grade A Pasteurization Mil Ordinance for state and local voluntary control of raw milk. The technique, discovered by the French scientist, Louis Pasteur, had shown its value of significantly reducing or eliminating food spoilage and illness, hence decreasing a major public health issue. 3
In 1987, the sale and distribution of raw dairy across state lines was prohibited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 4 The regulation was enacted due to the fact milk provides a significant nutritional benefit to infants, children and older adults that may not have a choice in what they consume. However, each state then and now, can control the sale of raw milk within its boundaries.
Today, the process of selling raw milk is technically legal in every state but the process by which the public can purchase it varies widely. 5 Only 13 states (including California) allow raw milk to be sold in retail establishments. Twenty-nine states allow retail purchases, but most states require the milk to be sold “on farm” or through “cow-sharing” programs. Twenty-three states have no regulations about raw milk and nine prohibit the sale.
Pasteurization Is Prevention
We have experienced a pandemic, numerous food recalls and outbreaks of bird flu in dairies across the U.S. While we can blame human error on some issues, others may be out of our control without preventive measures.
Century old wisdom and research shows us that disease causing pathogens in raw milk do exist and can make individuals sick. The transmission of the current H5Ni bird flu to the public is low, but recent testing of raw milk samples in California retail stores showed traces of it. The solution? The same as in 1908, when pasteurized milk was mandated in Chicago to prevent the spread of disease.
Don’t Get a Raw Deal
The reality is clear when it comes to raw milk. Risks outweigh perceived benefits. But the question for us is, do we accept social media myths over public health values? Or do we fail to recognize that a disappearance of a disease or public health problem may be the result of an age-old scientific discovery.
When basic health issues no longer affect our daily lives, the value of a common place practice seems to diminish … until the risk becomes our reality.
Notes:
1. “Bird flu detected in raw milk sold at California store,” The Washington Post, November 26, 2024.
2. “Map of State Laws on the Sale of Unpasteurized Cow’s Milk, 2012–2019,” U.S. Centers for Disease Control, May 15, 2024.
3. “Do You Buy Milk Based on Expiration Dates? Get the Scoop on Pasteurization,” Marianne Smith Edge, AgriNutrition Edge Blog, June 11, 2022.
4. “Is Raw Milk Worth the Risk?” Jane M. Caldwell, Food Technology Magazine, January 1, 2022.
5. “Raw Milk Legal States 2024,” 2024 World Population Review, 2024.