IS UNPASTEURIZED MILK SAFE?

IS UNPASTEURIZED MILK SAFE?

Dairy owners sell raw milk  in 28 states.  The natural food movement says it has mystical healing powers and good microbes that can treat everything.  Is it deadly or is it manna from heaven?

Clean white milk was used as a medicine in 1900.  It was used to cure chronic diseases.  The lactobacillus in milk helped the bowel and protected its lining.  Raw milk was fed to babies believing it could strengthen their immunity and help digestion.

 Raw milk proponents are concerned about the chemicals and hormones in dairy farming.  They say the heat in pasteurization kills natural proteins and enzymes, and destroys Vitamins C, B6, and B12.   Since the cows are now confined to pens and fed cottonseed and soybean meals, rather than being grass fed, the cow milk no longer offer immunity. 

Pasteurization began in 1920 when the dairy farms became distilleries  bootlegging whiskey.  There was a lot of filth and pollution in these dairy farms, and people became sick and died from infected milk.  The government responded by heating the milk for 15 seconds to 71 degrees centigrade to sterilize the milk.  This was called pasteurization.

The FDA insists pasteurization destroys bad bacteria, extends shelf life, and really doesn’t significantly change the nutritional value of milk.  They claim hundreds of people get sick from salmonella, E coli and other bacteria.  The Center for Disease control say 1000 people got sick over 7 years (between 1998 and 2005 and 2 people died.

Twenty-two states prohibit selling raw milk for humans.  All the other states only allow it within their borders.  The Federal government has let states regulate the raw milk industry. The FDA however prohibits sales across state borders.

Whole Foods Market Inc. lobbied for a bill to keep raw milk dairies in business, saying they want to let the consumer have a choice.  In Maryland “cow sharing agreements” were created to skirt a ban on raw milk sales.   The farmers take care of cows that are leased to them by the consumers.  Some interstate shipments were made in California to be used only as pet food. 

Should the FDA spend more time on farming practices that hurt food safety, like confining animals, use of estrogen and antibiotics on animals.  Should raw milk be available?  

Everything is subjective and the battle goes on.

What do you think?  Your comments are always appreciated.

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