Raw/Fresh Milk

There is a growing interest from consumers to purchase raw milk, or as producers call it, fresh milk. What does it mean? Isn't raw milk dangerous?

I used to believe that. I was taught that milk harbored all sorts of illnesses and germs, and that it was the root of all foodborne illness. I was taught wrong.  Raw/fresh milk is a wonderful thing, IF you know where it comes from. Milk that is harvested from conventional dairies, has a different set of "acceptable levels," than milk does that comes from raw milk dairies. That's because there is a  "default" application on most dairies, pasteurization. 

There is a reason for pasteurization in situations where lots of milk is going off to a centralized location to feed lots of people. It doesn't guarantee that it's safe, but it does take a step that renders it "safe," by cooking out the pathogens for some diseases. The trick, pasteurization kills almost all germs and enzymes, even those that are beneficial. There are germs such as Johnes, which are not killed by pasteurization, yet that milk is commonly sent on to consumers. For a long time it was thought that Johnes was a ruminant only disease, but there are now concerns that it might be related to Crohn's disease, which is on the rise in the US. 

Fresh milk is a complete food, meaning that it comes with the enzymes that it's needed to break it down. In the case of milk, the main problem is lactose, often causing an intolerance as many people have insufficient enzymes, known as lactase, to break down the lactose into its parts, so the body can use it. But fresh milk comes with that lactase automatically, making it possible for those with intolerances to be able to digest the milk. For some, goat milk is easier because the fat is in smaller bits, making it easier to break down the components inside. 

Scientists in the US keep saying that there is no nutritional difference between fresh and pasteurized milk. To me, that makes no sense. Milk that is heated to Ultra high pasteurization temps, more than 200 degrees F, is useless in growing cultures for yogurt or cheese. The required nutrients are destroyed in that UHT processing. Even conventional heating to 163 degrees for 30 sec. known as "flash pasteurizing," damages the milk. Some people can even taste the scorch. When I heat my milk for making pasteurized cheeses or for yogurt, I heat it to 145 degrees for 30 minutes, which does kill the bacteria but with less damage the milk itself. However, whenever I can , I drink and use fresh milk from my goats. I wouldn't necessarily drink it from everyone's farm.

It is important to know what the farmer's practices are for handling the milk, the udder, the utensils and for storage. Fresh milk is actually more forgiving than pasteurized milk because the "good enzymes" that would fight off infection in the animal's udder are still active. But that doesn't mean they are going to work for me. 

If you are seeking fresh milk, please ask if you can watch how the farmer harvests that milk. If you live in an area with strong raw milk laws, please be respectful of how careful the farmer must be. 

Fresh milk is a great thing, if you can find it. If it's not legal where you live to sell it, please join the fight to protect raw milk by joining with Weston A Price, or RealMilk.com, the American Cheese Society, and Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, that are working to make it more available to consumers. You have the right to buy it. Why is that the farmer isn't allowed to sell it to you?