Raw Milk: A Health Perspective

Dr. Stephen Ostroff, MD
Director, Bureau of Epidemiology
Pennsylvania Department of Health

Milk pasteurization is one of society’s greatest public health achievements, helping to prevent millions of needless illnesses. Before pasteurization came into widespread use in the 1930s, one quarter of foodborne illnesses in the United States was caused by consuming unpasteurized milk or milk products. Today, that figure is under 1 percent.

Despite these facts, some consumers have turned to raw milk in the mistaken belief that it is healthier or more nutritious. It’s a troubling trend. Between 1998 and 2005, a total of 45 outbreaks due to raw milk or soft raw milk cheese were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), producing more than 1,000 illnesses. The list of germs causing these outbreaks includes E. coli O157, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Listeria.

Last year, an outbreak due to raw milk sold in south central Pennsylvania produced 29 illnesses. Sadly, many of last year’s victims were children who had no choice in the kind of milk their parents purchased for them.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health believes that while standard hygiene and production practices can reduce the risk from consuming raw milk, they simply cannot eliminate it. In a 2006 survey of Pennsylvania dairy farms, pathogens were found in 13 percent of bulk tank raw milk samples. Therefore, the department believes it is necessary to warn consumers about the risks associated with raw milk, and to urge persons with immune disorders, pregnant women, and young children to avoid consuming this product in the interest of protecting the public’s health.