Raw milk can be harmful to
health
Source of Article: http://www.theolympian.com/776/story/681525.html
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Published December 01, 2008
Think twice before serving unpasteurized, or raw, milk to children.
Each year, there are many outbreaks of food poisoning around the country
caused by it. Raw milk can contain certain dangerous bacteria such as
salmonella, E. coli, listeria monocytogenes,
and campylobacter. These infections can cause serious illnesses, especially
in babies, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those who cannot
fight infection well.
The symptoms someone gets after drinking raw milk depend on which bacteria
are in it. The more common problems are vomiting, diarrhea, belly pain,
fever, headache and body aches. Most healthy people recover after drinking
raw milk or eating cheese made with it; others may need to be hospitalized.
Some people have died. A pregnant woman infected with Listeria can cause harm
to the fetus.
Pasteurization is a process in which milk is heated to a high temperature
to kill some types of bacteria. Pasteurization does not require putting any
additives into the milk, and it plays an important part in making milk safe.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug
Administration have issued warnings against drinking raw milk.
There are parents who believe raw milk is more nutritious than pasteurized
milk. Research has shown this is not true. There is no nutritional advantage
to drinking raw rather than pasteurized milk. For parents who prefer that
their children not be exposed to additives, there are
pasteurized milk products from grass fed or organically raised cows that do
not contain additives.
In Washington,
it is legal for special state Department of Agriculture licensed dairies to
sell unpasteurized milk for human consumption. Even with regulation,
occasionally raw milk products have to be recalled because of contamination.
For example, on Aug. 11, Agriculture warned about contaminated raw milk from Shaw Island.
All raw milk products sold must include a warning label that informs the
consumer of the health risks associated with its consumption. It reads: "WARNING:
This product has not been pasteurized and may contain harmful bacteria.
Pregnant women, children, the elderly, and persons with lowered resistance to
disease have the highest risk of harm from use of this product."
Some farmers have a "Cow Share" program similar to "Farm
Share" programs for produce. The consumer purchases a "share"
of a cow (or goat or sheep) and in return receives a portion of the milk
produced. A cow share agreement is legal in Washington as long as the producer is
properly licensed with Agriculture. More information about raw milk can be
found at www.agr.wa.gov/foodanimal/dairy.
Dr. Diana Yu is the health officer for the Thurston County Public
Health and Social Services Department, 412 Lilly Road N.E., Olympia, 98506.
For information from the Health Department, call 360-786-5581.
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