Unpasteurized Milk

What’s the Concern?

Drinking unpasteurized milk can result in one of a variety of mild illnesses, long-lasting serious diseases, or even death. Disease-causing bacteria that can be found in raw milk include Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli O157:H7 (the same E. coli associated with “hamburger disease”).

The true incidence of food and milk-borne diseases are unknown because people often relate their symptoms to having upset digestive system rather than being caused by consuming contaminated raw milk. Scientists believe that the number of cases reported is only the tip of the iceberg. Certain groups such as the young, elderly, ill, pregnant women and people who are immunocompromised are at increased risk of illness. Unfortunately, serious disease outbreaks associated with raw milk continue to occur. These often involve people who consume raw milk while visiting a farm with dairy cows. Considering it is a small proportion of people who consume raw milk, these outbreaks are significant.

What Could Happen to Me or My Family?

An example of raw milk-borne disease is E. coli O157:H7 . The most common symptom of this disease is bloody diarrhea which, in young children and the elderly, can progress to kidney failure and death. In 1986, 42 of 63 kindergarten children from a primary school in Ontario experienced symptoms of bloody diarrhea after visiting a dairy farm and drinking raw milk. Because bacteria like E. coli O157:H7 do not make cattle ill, these organisms can be present even under the most rigid farm management practices. A Canadian study of more than 1,000 farms revealed that E. coli O157:H7 was present in 2% of raw milk samples.

What is Pasteurized Milk?

Pasteurization is merely a heating process over time. Commercially, milk is heated to 72 C (161 F) for 16 seconds (HTST processing) at the dairy processing plant. This process destroys all disease-producing organisms listed above.

Note: The Health Protection and Promotion Act of Ontario Ministry of Health prohibits the sale or distribution of unpasteurized milk. The penalty for selling, or even giving away, unpasteurized milk, is a fine of up to $5,000.

Think Wise……Pasteurize!