Raw Milk and Cheeses: Health Risks are Still Black
and White
Each
year, people become ill from drinking raw milk and eating foods
made from raw dairy products. Unlike most of the milk, cheese,
and dairy products sold in the United States, raw milk and raw
dairy products have not been heat treated or pasteurized to kill
germs. Although many states outlaw the sale of these items, many
people including dairy producers, farm workers and their families,
and some ethnic groups continue to drink raw milk and eat foods
made from raw dairy products. Several types of raw cheeses such
as feta, brie, queso fresco, sheep’s and goat's milk cheese
have been illegally sold in the United States.
Germs in These Products Cause Thousands of Illnesses
Raw
milk and raw dairy products may carry many types of disease-causing
germs such as Campylobacter, Escherichia
coli, Listeria, Salmonella,
Yersinia, and Brucella. When raw milk or raw milk
products become contaminated, people who eat the contaminated foods
can get sick. Here are a few examples of outbreaks that have been
reported since 2000:
2001: Outbreak
of Campylobacter jejuni infections
from drinking “raw” or unpasteurized milk.
2003: Outbreak
of Listeria monocytogenes infections
from eating unpasteurized queso fresco (a
Mexican-style soft cheese)
2003: Outbreak of Salmonella infections
from eating unpasteurized queso fresco.
2004: Outbreak of E. coli.O157 infections
from eating unpasteurized queso fresco
These Illnesses Can Be Dangerous
Getting sick from one of these germs can lead to diarrhea, stomach
cramps, fever, headache, vomiting, or exhaustion. The misery typically
lasts anywhere from several hours to a week or more but most healthy
people will recover.
These illnesses can be dangerous for people with weakened immune
systems, such as the elderly, children, and people with cancer,
an organ transplant, or HIV/AIDS. Germs found in raw milk and raw
dairy products can be especially dangerous to pregnant women and
their unborn babies.
Pasteurization Is Key to Making Dairy Products Safe
Heat-treating
milk to kill germs is called pasteurization . Using heat to pasteurize
milk was first suggested in the late 1800’s
as a way to decrease the amount of a germ that causes tuberculosis.
Today, pasteurization is still our main protection from germs carried
in milk and cheese.
Pasteurization
is a simple process. In the United States, raw milk is collected
from cows and heated to a high temperature for a short period
of time. This destroys any harmful germs that may be contaminating
the milk. After it is pasteurized, milk and products made from
milk are safe for human consumption. Pasteurization does not harm
the nutritional value of milk and cheese.
Playing
It Safe
When shopping for milk or cheese, play it safe. Carefully read
food labels to make sure a product is pasteurized. Purchase only
products that are pasteurized or made from pasteurized milk.
These people should always avoid raw milk or raw dairy products:
- Pregnant
women or women considering pregnancy
- Children
under 5 years of age
- The
elderly
- Persons
infected with HIV
- Persons
with cancer
- Anyone
who is immunocompromised (such as persons with organ transplants)
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