🧀 Raw milk

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized or otherwise heat-treated. It is prized for its “farm” taste and aroma, and many cheeses are traditionally made from it. However, raw milk can contain pathogens: Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria, Campylobacter, Brucella, and the agents of tuberculosis and Q fever. They get into milk from the udder of a sick animal, from the skin, from the environment and from equipment.

Pasteurization, which spread from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, kills these microbes without significantly reducing milk’s nutritional value. According to the FDA, popular claims that raw milk cures allergies or lactose intolerance are not supported. Children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immunity are especially vulnerable.

Rules on selling raw milk vary between countries, from a total ban to permission under strict veterinary control. A number of cheeses with protected names (Parmigiano Reggiano and Roquefort, for example) are made from raw milk; long ripening and acidity reduce the risks but do not eliminate them entirely. Raw milk bought from a private seller is best boiled.