This year in Florida over 20 people have gotten sick — some of them kids and some hospitalized — after drinking raw milk. While the “raw milk movement” has ramped up at times in recent years, outbreaks like this bring the raw vs. pasteurized argument to the forefront.
Pasteurization is the quick heating process that kills harmful bacteria without changing nutritional value. Without this step, there’s no guarantee that the milk is free of germs. Cows, goats, and sheep can carry bacteria in their udders, on their skin, or in their environment. Even healthy-looking animals can shed dangerous microbes into their milk.
For some, exposure to the bacteria can cause mild discomfort, but for young children, pregnant women, older adults, or people with weakened immune systems, the illness can be severe, even life-threatening.
Here are some of the bacteria that can be found in raw milk:
- Salmonella – Can cause diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps that can last for days.
- E. coli – Can cause severe stomach illness and, in rare cases, kidney failure.
- Listeria – Especially dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, and older adults, and can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or serious illness in newborns.
- Campylobacter – A common cause of diarrhea, which can sometimes lead to long-term problems like arthritis or nerve disorders.
The pasteurization process has been around for more than a century for good reason: it’s a safe and effective food safety measure. Before it became standard, milk-borne diseases like tuberculosis, typhoid and brucellosis were far more common. The process was a public health game-changer, dramatically reducing outbreaks linked to dairy products.
While we can all appreciate the appeal of “natural” foods, the nutrients you get from raw milk are the same in pasteurized milk, just without the gamble. It’s also important to note that selling raw milk across state lines remains illegal, but at the same time an increasing number of states have legalized it to varying degrees including Louisiana as of last year.