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Raw FAQs

Mike Schutz, Extension Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University Mike Ferree, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Bartholomew County, Purdue University

Currently, Indiana is one of 20 states Unpasteurized milk is acquired for that does not allow the sale of raw personal use by some consumers in milk for human consumption. The Indiana through obtaining milk term “raw milk” means milk that has from cows they “own,” or by pur- not been pasteurized. chasing milk that is designated only The process of heating consumable for use as animal or pet food. Some liquids to reduce bacterial dairy cows are wholly or partly was developed 150 years ago in owned by consumers who have April 1862 by and arranged “cow share” agreements Claude Bernard, who tested the with dairy producers to care for process to increase the length of and milk cows for them. While cow storage time. Eventually, this process share arrangements have not been became known as . tested in Indiana courts, the FDA Today, pasteurization most often is views them as a murky legal area, recognized for its use with milk, a because they are not included in the process first suggested by Franz von legal code in most states. In Indiana, Soxhlet in 1886. No single process farms selling unpasteurized milk or has done more to prevent tuberculo- other processed dairy products as sis and transmission in pet food or animal feed must be humans; and pasteurization remains licensed by the Office of the Indiana an effective method to reduce the State Chemist to produce animal risk of foodborne illness from dairy feed. Milk produced for cow share products. purchasers or sold as animal feed has at least as high a risk of carrying All milk that is sold across state lines pathogenic as raw milk is governed by the Pasteurized Milk intended for pasteurization. Ordinance (PMO) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All milk During the 2012 session of the sold through interstate commerce Indiana General Assembly, an for fluid consumption must be amendment to Senate Bill 398 was produced under PMO Standards introduced to allow the sale of milk (2011 revision, FDA) and be pasteur- in Indiana from any dairy farm with ized or delivered as raw milk to a 20 or fewer cows. While the amend- plant where it will be pasteurized. ment passed in the Senate, the bill Within states, legislatures may was withdrawn and replaced by provide opportunities for sales to House Bill 1129. As a result of the consumers within those states. legislation, the Indiana Board of Thirty states presently allow legal Animal Health is to study the issue sales of unpasteurized milk to con- of whether a program can be devel- sumers, although the rules governing oped to decrease the risk of allowing those sales are widely different. consumers to purchase raw milk.

1 Raw Milk FAQs A report of their findings will be provided to Vat pasteurization carries with it the additional Indiana legislators by Dec. 1, 2012. challenge of rapidly cooling the milk again following Unpasteurized milk is being debated at the national pasteurization. level, too. During a U.S. Senate debate on the Farm Most milk bottlers use high-temperature, short- Bill in the summer of 2012, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, time pasteurization, which requires every particle offered an amendment to the Federal Agriculture of milk be heated to 161°F and held at that tem- Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM) to perature for no less than 15 seconds. This results eliminate the “mandatory pasteurization for all in the destruction of most bacterial pathogens, milk and milk products in final package form while largely protecting milk proteins from degra- intended for direct human consumption.” This dation. Ultra-pasteurized refers to milk heated to would have discontinued requirement of pasteuri- at least 280°F for not less than two seconds. zation of all interstate milk shipments for sale Ultra-pasteurized milk has been sold in the U.S. directly to the consumer. The amendment was not and Europe, and when combined with aseptic included among those debated on the Senate floor bottling can eliminate the need for refrigeration and, thus, not in the final bill that was passed. prior to opening the container. Common tempera- The purpose of this publication is to provide ture and time combinations for pasteurization answers to some frequently asked questions on include: pasteurization and unpasteurized milk, and its Temperature Time safety. 145ºF 30 minutes 1. What is pasteurization? 161ºF 15 seconds The process of pasteurization involves heating 191ºF 1 second every particle of milk for a specific period of time 194ºF 0.5 second to inactivate bacterial pathogens. Pasteurization 210ºF 0.1 second dramatically reduces the number of pathogens, but 204ºF 0.05 second does not sterilize the milk. A number of heat-toler- 212ºF 0.01 second ant (non-pathogenic) and spore-forming bacteria can survive pasteurization. The cooler the pasteur- 2. Why is pasteurization used for milk? ization temperature, the longer the milk must be While milk normally does not harbor harmful held at that temperature to adequately inactivate bacteria it can become contaminated, even under bacterial pathogens. Vat or batch pasteurization very hygienic conditions, particularly given the requires milk to be raised to 145° Fahrenheit (F ) nature of dairy farms and processing equipment. for 30 minutes and agitated, to ensure uniform Because milk is an excellent growth media, patho- temperature of all milk in the vat. Batch pasteuri- gens can multiply rapidly, especially if milk is not zation is common for small-scale dairy processors. immediately or adequately cooled. Some zoonotic diseases (ones transmitted from animals to hu- mans) can be transmitted into milk by ill cows. Other bacterial pathogens can contaminate the milk as it leaves the cow, from contaminated equipment, dirt or manure entering the equipment, or during storage. Pasteurization provides a critical step to ensure the safety of milk drinkers by drastically reducing the number of present: Mycobacterium (tuberculosis), melitensis (brucellosis), Coxiella rickettsia (Q-fever), Salmo- nella, Yersinia, Toxoplasma, E. coli O157:H7, Cam- pylobacter, monocytogenes, Cryptosporidia,

2 Raw Milk FAQs Staphylococcus and . Proper han- dling of milk and keeping it cold are critical to retains enzymatic activity after 50 seconds at maintaining quality of milk, even when pasteurized. • 176°F. Xanthine oxidase, an enzyme linked with , 3. Is milk altered by pasteurization? 4. Does pasteurization kill milk? In a word, yes. Milk must be heated to a tempera- Proponents of unpasteurized milk often claim that ture at which some changes to protein molecules pasteurization “kills” milk. But obviously milk is begin to occur. This is expected, as the damage to not a living thing. What they are referring to is that proteins is necessary to inactivate harmful bacte- pasteurization kills beneficial bacteria in milk. It is ria. Indeed, the degradation of an enzyme, alkaline true that some bacteria are present in milk, such as phosphatase, that is present in all unpasteurized Lactobacillus species, and that those bacteria may milk samples is one of the key measures aid in the digestion of lactose. However, of the effectiveness of pasteurization. those bacteria are generally not present However, research has proved that pasteurization does not degrade the Thus, it arises from post-milking, unin- healthful benefits of milk. Among the tentionalin cow’s milk contamination before it exits of the the milk. udder. If milk components are the following milk is contaminated by beneficial (adapted from Jeff LeJeune, DVM, Ph.D., bacteria, it also may be contaminated by Dipl. ACVM, Ohio Agricultural Research harmful bacteria. Beneficial bacteria can and Development Center): be added back to milk in cultured dairy products. For example, is pro- milk has similar antibacterial prop- duced through the culturing of milk with • erties Bovine to lactoferrin that from fromunheated pasteurized milk. pure cultures of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermo- activity when heated to 161°F for 15 philes) and provides a safer source of • seconds, Lactoperoxidase with further retains decreases 70 percent in bacteria with probiotic properties. activity as the temperature is in- creased. 5. What risks are associated with drinking unpasteurized milk? at 176°F for 15 seconds. • Lysozyme (bacteriocide) lysozyme will survive Clearly, the risks of unpasteurized milk consump- tion are in the possible contraction of the diseases when held for 30 minutes at 145°F, and retains mentioned above. Most of the time risks from • more Bovine than immunoglobulin 59 percent of hasactivity no loss after in high- activity consumption of unpasteurized milk are not great, temperature, short-time pasteurization. but the health consequences if one contracts the disease can be very serious, or even fatal. There is changed by pasteurization. no doubt that pasteurization reduces the risk. • Lactose (milk sugar) concentration is not While there have been outbreaks of disease from are largely unaffected by pasteurization. pasteurized dairy products that were recontami- • Caseins’ and proteins’ nutritive values nated or not properly pasteurized, the number of such occurrences is far, far less in proportion to the appreciably affected by pasteurization. • Fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are not amount of milk consumed as pasteurized versus non-pasteurized. Furthermore, many environmen- be reduced up to 10 percent by pasteurization. tal factors influence the risk that milk may be • Vitamin C, which is very low in cow’s milk, may contaminated, and these vary greatly from farm to following pasteurization. farm, and week to week on any given farm. • Bacterocins are heat stable and remain active

• Oligosacharides are heat stable. 3 Raw Milk FAQs 6. Can I continue to drink at high pressure through small holes to break up unpasteurized milk if I grew up the fat globules so the fat is evenly dispersed in the milk and does not separate. In bottling plants, on unpasteurized milk? these steps usually are done in sequence, since the It is true that many dairy farm children drink milk is warmed from pasteurization, making unpasteurized milk at home. By and large, farm homogenization more efficient. It is possible for children who consume unpasteurized milk are consumers to buy pasteurized, non-homogenized exposed to similar risks as anyone else consuming milk. Often this is referred to as “-line” milk, unpasteurized milk. However, raw milk tends to be because of the layer of cream that rises to the surface when the milk stands in the refrigerator. 8. Can I make , and with pasteurized milk? Yes. A major part of the reason that it is difficult to make products at home from pasteurized milk is that pasteurization most often is accompanied by homogenization in purchased dairy products. The disruption of the fat globule that allows uniform dispersion of butterfat throughout the milk makes it very difficult to churn butter and make some consumed more quickly on the farm and therefore kinds of cheese. However, most cheese, butter and provides less incubation time for bacteria. It is other products available for purchase in stores are possible that repeated exposure to low levels of made with pasteurized milk and cream. some bacteria may build immunological resistance, but a sudden occurrence of new pathogenic bacte- 9. Can I buy any products made with ria may still result in disease, especially during unpasteurized milk? times of reduced immunological health. In one Yes, certain kinds of unpasteurized milk cheese can 2012 E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Oregon, among be sold directly to consumers if it has been aged at the 21 individuals who took ill were four children least 60 days. This is allowed by FDA rules because from the farm on which the milk was produced. As if the cheese is properly cured, the bacteria arising mentioned, it is typical that when milk is from the cheese cultures in the presence of proper readily available on the farm, it is con- salinity and acidity will out-compete, and essen- sumed very quickly — even the same day tially eliminate, pathogenic bacteria such as — limiting the opportunity for bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, and to multiply. Thus, the sale of milk to E. coli. Nevertheless, there have been consumers carries more recalls of unpasteurized milk control points at which aged cheese because of risks of bacterial contami- the presence of such bacteria as nation and growth can Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria occur, compared to monocytogenes. on-farm consumption. More- over, many dairy farm families 10. Are there beneficial pasteurize the milk they consume at home. characteristics or properties of 7. What is the difference between unpasteurized milk? pasteurization and homogenization? There have been many claims about healthful Pasteurization is the process of heating milk benefits of unpasteurized milk, but most are briefly to eliminate bacterial pathogens, while anecdotal and not backed by controlled studies. homogenization is the process of forcing the milk Recently, the European GABRIELA study deter-

4 Raw Milk FAQs mined that consumption of non-boiled farm milk 12. Should Purdue Extension support by farm children resulted in fewer cases of legalizing unpasteurized milk sales and hay fever than among those children who consumed boiled farm milk. The study concluded in Indiana? that a protective effect of unpasteurized milk might Purdue Extension is committed to doing all it can be associated with the whey protein fraction of the to promote the safety of milk and dairy products. unpasteurized milk. It must be pointed out that the At present, pasteurization remains the best way to study was not designed to control for any other ensure the safety of milk products. Pasteurization factors that might have affected development of has been very successful in accomplishing this for , such as the amount of animal or dairy decades. The rate of foodborne illness from unpas- cattle exposure. The study did teurized milk and dairy is much not attempt to compare the higher than from pasteurized relative reduction of milk and dairy. If sales of incidence — if any relationship unpasteurized milk are permit- is verified in subsequent ted in Indiana, renewed focus properly controlled studies — should be on educating con- versus the inherent risk of sumers about pasteurization; consuming unpasteurized milk. the very real disease risks of Furthermore, the vast majority consuming unpasteurized milk; of pasteurized milk consumed and how to properly handle is pasteurized at temperatures milk, whether pasteurized or well below boiling, and there- not. Further, efforts to assist fore subject to less protein degradation. At the very sellers of unpasteurized milk to comply with least, it remains unclear whether any possible regulations and understand their legal obligations benefits of unpasteurized milk consumption could and financial risks, also should be undertaken. outweigh the very real risks of contracting disease from its consumption. 13. If sales of unpasteurized milk are permitted in Indiana, should they be 11. Are greater risks associated with allowed only at the farm on which the drinking unpasteurized milk? milk is produced? Yes. From 1993 to 2006 in the U.S. there were 121 The very short shelf life of unpasteurized milk outbreaks of dairy-associated disease for which does not lend itself well to the more lengthy period the pasteurization status was known. During that of transporting the product to a retail location and time there were 73 outbreaks (60 percent) from holding it there until it is sold. Therefore, if unpas- non-pasteurized products, resulting in 1,571 cases, teurized milk sales are permitted, despite the risks, 202 hospitalizations and two deaths. Of those sales of milk should be restricted to the farm on which outbreaks, 75 percent occurred in states that the milk is produced. Restricting sales only to the allowed sales of non-pasteurized milk. However, farm premises 1) encourages the buyer to be aware the number of outbreak-related illnesses was 150 of the general conditions under which the milk is times greater for non-pasteurized versus pasteur- produced; 2) reduces the number of individuals ized products, and disproportionately affected handling the milk and limits responsibility for its persons under 20 years of age. States that restricted care to the producer and final consumer; 3) decreas- sales had fewer outbreaks and illnesses (Emerging es the possibility that a consumer would purchase Infectious Diseases, 2012). In the first four months unpasteurized milk believing it to be pasteurized; of 2012 there have been six outbreaks of disease in 4) incentivizes farmers who sell unpasteurized the U.S. associated with raw milk, resulting in 152 milk to maintain high production standards for illnesses, mostly involving Campylobacter. their visiting customers; and 5) supports the concept and practice of local food production.

5 Raw Milk FAQs 14. What rules should be in place to With cigarettes and alcohol, there are many stan- safeguard the public if unpasteurized dards in place to help with consumer safety. These include requirement of licenses for alcohol sales, milk sales are legalized in Indiana? warning labels, cigarette filters, standards of While no rules will be able to ensure safety of nicotine and alcohol content, no sales to minors, consumers as well as pasteurization, there clearly legal limits for blood alcohol for driving, protection is demand for unpasteurized milk by consumers in of individuals from second-hand smoke, banning of Indiana, as evidenced by the listing of cow share flavoring of cigarettes to allure first-time smokers, etc. programs and availability of a wide range of dairy products sold as “pet food” at farmers markets. 16. Are the risks of raw milk Some degree of third party oversight of dairy consumption equivalent for all operations would provide improved assurance, population groups? compared to the present situation of no oversight No. Those with weakened immune of cow share and “animal feed” or systems are at greatest risk. For in- “pet food” sales of unpasteurized stance, the young, old, ill, those on milk. As a starting point, farms chemotherapy or certain kinds of selling unpasteurized milk should medication, and those taking immuno- exceed the safety standards for suppressant drugs are generally at production of Grade A milk that is greater risk for bacterial infection. intended to be pasteurized. Among Unfortunately, with unpasteurized the goals should be rapid cooling of milk those with the weakest immune milk to 40 degrees or less; use of systems — the very young, elderly and glass, impermeable plastic or stain- those with health issues — often are less steel equipment; sanitizing of not in a position to make their own equipment; milk sold within 48 informed decisions about consump- hours after milking; minimum tion of unpasteurized milk. Milk standards for bottling and capping; enjoys a long reputation as a whole- specific labeling statements; stan- some and healthful product, and any dards for allowable single-use con- decision to dramatically increase the tainers; standards for milk bacteria, risk associated with a product cur- coliform bacteria and somatic cell rently considered safe should not be counts; routine animal health testing taken lightly. for Tuberculosis, Brucellosis, and Streptococcus infections; weekly testing of milk 17. If unpasteurized milk is legalized, for Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli should children be allowed to O157:H7; and, as with all milk, antibiotic residue testing of every batch and aflatoxin testing when consume it? needed. But even these steps cannot reach the A better question is “Is unpasteurized milk safe for measure of safety provided by pasteurization. children?” Keep in mind that young children often do not have a mature and, there- 15. Given that cigarettes and fore, often are most at risk for becoming severely alcohol are legal for adults and both ill from foodborne pathogens. Pasteurized milk is contain considerable health risks, clearly safer for children to consume. why shouldn’t unpasteurized milk be legal as well? This is not an apples to apples comparison. Milk is available for purchase and even home delivery.

6 Raw Milk FAQs 18. In the unpasteurized milk debate, Links which is the highest priority: personal The following links are provided as examples of liberty or public safety? information about unpasteurized milk available to Both are important, and both must be considered the public online. Accuracy of information on these during any discussion about measures to protect sites is not guaranteed by Purdue University public safety. Ultimately, it will be left to the state Cooperative Extension Service. legislature to decide whether permitted sales of Pasteurized Milk Ordinance: unpasteurized milk will be made available to www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodSafety/ consumers in Indiana. A certification program with Product-SpecificInformation/MilkSafety/ animal health, milk handling and sanitation stan- NationalConferenceonInterstateMilkShipments dards can at best somewhat mitigate a known NCIMSModelDocuments/UCM291757.pdf health risk that has been very effectively reduced by the time-tested process of pasteurization. A Campaign for Real Milk (Weston A. Price Foundation) www.realmilk.com

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; “Raw (Unpasteurized) Milk”: www.cdc.gov/features/rawmilk

Real Raw Milk Facts www.realrawmilkfacts.com

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