Milk quality

Buzz on raw milk picks up, public reminded of the
importance of pasteurization
Since January 2000, there have been 38 bacteria-related outbreaks of food borne illness traced directly to raw, unpasteurized milk. In those incidents, at least 629 people have turned up ill and 45 of those have been hospitalized. Sadly, seven deaths have been connected to unpasteurized milk consumption.

More than 100 years after dairies started pasteurizing and homogenizing, some producers (and consumers) still swear by raw, unpasteurized milk. They shrug off evidence that raw milk can carry pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli and Campylobacter.

The U.S. dairy industry, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, recommends that no one drink unpasteurized milk – it’s a matter of food safety. In fact, nearly half the states have banned the sale of raw milk, and federal law prohibits the retail sale of unpasteurized milk across state borders.

Mainstream media articles often romanticize the bucolic image of drinking raw, unpasteurized milk from the farm, dismissing the inherent health dangers. To protect the overall image of milk, the joint industry issues management team (DMI, along with the U.S. Dairy Export Council, National Milk Producers Federation and International Dairy Foods Association) work to educate consumers about the importance of pasteurization and refute messages from raw milk advocates that aren’t based in science. The “Raw Milk Toolkit” includes a fact sheet on pasteurization and talking points that can help dairy spokespersons respond when raw milk appears in the headlines.

In addition, National Dairy Council’s network of dietitian-spokespeople regularly address the issue in the media. For instance, when the New York Times ran a feature about raw milk last summer, a registered dietitian countered with a letter to the editor emphasizing the safety record of pasteurized milk.

DMI also leverages its relationships with highly reputable health professional organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics to reinforce the benefits of pasteurization.

The U.S. dairy industry has an outstanding record of product safety and quality, attained through years of extensive monitoring and testing throughout the production, processing and distribution chain. Pasteurization is a critical element in that process. To maintain that reputation, it’s important that the dairy industry doesn’t get tainted by milk that hasn’t been properly treated.

Should I respond?

Yes. You can help reassure the public that pasteurized milk is safe. Remind consumers that food quality and safety is a top priority of U.S. dairy producers. Tell them how your dairy operation contributes to this.

• All milk intended for consumption should be pasteurized. It’s a matter of food safety.

• On my farm, milking machines deliver milk directly from the cows to a refrigerated holding tank to preserve freshness and safety. The milk is then quickly transported to processing plants for continued freshness and safety. Pasteurization at the processing plant is the next step to ensure farm-to-table milk safety.

• Since its introduction over a century ago, pasteurization has been recognized around the world as an essential tool for ensuring that milk and dairy products are safe.

• Pasteurization destroys any pathogens in milk without affecting milk’s nutritional value.

Use these key points to help you communicate that food quality and safety is a top priority of the U.S. dairy industry:

• Milk and dairy products are among the safest and most highly regulated foods available to consumers. Dairy farms and processing plants must meet stringent safety requirements and are inspected regularly by federal and local officials, including:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Department of Agriculture Regulatory agencies in all 50 states

• Milk and dairy products undergo a number of safety, quality and sanitation procedures such as pasteurization, making them among the most highly regulated and safest foods available – regular and organic – to consumers.

Related resources

Dairy Farming Today quality and safety information page: www.dairyfarmingtoday.org/DairyFarmingToday/Quality-And-Safety/Farm-To-Fridge/

Raw Milk Fact Sheet
www.dairyfarmingtoday.org/NR/rdonlyres/2E37A9B5-19FD-4C79-9F41-48FA7FC8ECAF/0/RawMilkFactSheet.pdf

National Dairy Council’s Food Safety Fact Sheet:
www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NationalDairyCouncil/Nutrition/Safety/foodSafetyfactsheet.htm

U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s news release on raw milk:
www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2005/NEW01278.html

Test your answer

Do you offer raw milk on your farm?

ANSWER: No. The U.S. dairy industry, as well as the medical and food safety community, recommends that no one consume unpasteurized milk. Pasteurization is a simple, effective method to kill the harmful pathogens found in raw milk. Over the years, U.S. dairy farmers and processors have built a stellar reputation for providing safe and high-quality milk products, which could be jeopardized each time untreated milk causes illness.

Let me tell you what I do on my dairy to ensure the safety and purity of our milk … (insert personal examples). PD