Raw Milk: Public Health Enemy or Nature ' s Gift?

Recent Debate on Unpasteurized Milk

The past several years have witnessed increasing debate, regulation and outbreaks of foodborne disease due to raw or unpasteurized milk. Proponents of raw milk tout health benefits that they claim are not possible when milk has been pasteurized—a process of heating the milk to 161°F for 15-20 seconds, which kills many bacteria that are present in the raw milk.

These organisms include Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E.coli O157:H7 and other E. coli, as well as Campylobacter jejuni, just to name a few.