Why Raw Milk Standards Matter

Back in 2011 before the Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) was formed, there were no universal standards for safe raw milk production. Consumer demand for raw milk was expanding, as people learned about the health benefits of raw milk as well as the negative effects of pasteurization. There was a growing body of evidence that children who drink raw milk have decreased rates of asthma, allergies, eczema, ear infections, fever, and respiratory infections. Whereas pasteurized milk is a top food allergen and difficult to digest, raw milk is actually a health-supporting food with rich therapeutic potential that is easily digested by most consumers. Yet, standards for raw milk varied widely from state to state and country to country. 

The occasional foodborne illness outbreaks that could be tied to raw milk continued to tarnish raw milk’s reputation.  And worse yet, some of these outbreaks actually led to life-threatening illnesses. As raw milk’s popularity grew, it was being consumed by a wider segment of the population including immune-compromised people. Whereas average healthy people are likely to have relatively mild symptoms from exposure to foodborne pathogens, immune-compromised people are more likely to have severe symptoms.

Perfectly Safe Food?

It is important to note that there is no such thing as a perfectly safe food. A CDC analysis of foodborne illnesses from 2009-2015 showed that the top food categories commonly linked to illnesses were chicken, pork, and seeded vegetables. Multi-state foodborne illness outbreaks have been linked to foods ranging from unpasteurized apple juice to ground beef to soy nut butter to lettuce.

Pasteurized milk is not perfectly safe, either, and is implicated in foodborne illnesses and outbreaks every year.  Although a wide range of foods including meats and vegetables are known to have the potential for causing foodborne illnesses, only raw milk is targeted by government regulators as a food to be completely avoided. Countries such as Canada and Australia currently have complete bans on raw milk.

Raw Milk Institute Method for Safe Raw Milk

The Raw Milk Institute was founded in 2011 to advance the cause of safe raw milk.  The numerous health benefits of raw milk make it an essential food, which is too important to be allowed to be systematically suppressed by regulators and government agencies. RAWMI sought to better understand the important factors in ensuring that raw milk was safe to consume.

In 2011-12, RAWMI brought together a diverse international group with the purpose of establishing standards for safe raw milk. This group included medical doctors and epidemiologists, nutritional consultants, veterinarians, food safety scientists, raw milk farmers, and raw milk consumers. This collaborative group developed the Raw Milk Institute Common Standards, which were initially released in 2012. 

The RAWMI Common Standards describe a three-pronged approach for the production of safe raw milk which consists of:

• Farmer training and mentoring

• Risk Analysis and Management Plan (RAMP) for the unique conditions on each individual farm

• Stringent yet achievable bacterial test standards for coliforms and Standard Plate Count (SPC)

The Common Standards Work!

Since their release in 2012, the RAWMI Common Standards have become a foundational part of low-risk raw milk production across North America. When farmers are well-trained, use careful production practices as laid out in their individual RAMP, and perform ongoing bacterial testing of their milk, they can produce raw milk that is ultra-low-risk.

Researchers from Canada and Europe have studied the safety of raw milk intended for direct human consumption, and have specifically considered milk from farms who implement the RAWMI Common Standards. They have found that carefully produced raw milk is a low-risk food which is fundamentally different from pre-pasteurized milk. The implementation of the RAWMI Common Standards has led to a significant reduction in raw milk-related illnesses and outbreaks.

The table below contrasts pathogen test data from pre-pasteurized milk vs. raw milk intended for direct human consumption.  As illustrated in the table, pathogen testing of pre-pasteurized milk samples has detected pathogens in up to 33% of samples.  In contrast, there were zero pathogens detected in thousands of milk samples from raw milk intended for direct human consumption. It is clear from this test data that pre-pasteurized milk is categorically different from raw milk intended for direct human consumption.

Data courtesy British Columbia Herdshare Association

Common Standards and RAMP 2020 Update

Knowledge about safe raw milk is continually advancing. With the review of the RAWMI Advisory Board and LISTED farmers, the RAWMI Common Standards and RAMP have recently been updated to include the latest information about best practices in raw milk production. The updated Common Standards and RAMP are also now inclusive of other dairy animals such as goats and sheep. The 2020 Common Standards and RAMP are available here:

Antibiotic Resistant Genes in Raw Milk - What Does the Data Really Mean?

Government-Funded Study Finds ZERO Pathogens in Raw Milk Samples!

That’s what the headlines should have read.

Instead, the study was titled, “Reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes in retail raw milk” [1]. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), was not able to find any pathogens in raw milk. So instead they focused on trying to create fear of antibiotic resistant genes which were found to proliferate when raw milk was allowed to sit at room temperature for hours.  

Antibiotic Resistant Genes are Ubiquitous

Antibiotic resistant genes are everywhere. They’ve been found in every environment, including pristine habitats that have been virtually untouched by humans such as Antarctica [2, 3].  They’re even found in the dust of buildings [4].

“Antibiotics are ancient, dating back hundreds of millions of years. Resistance is therefore equally ancient, and the number of genes in the resistome is a reflection of the continuous co-evolution of small molecules in natural environments and microbial genomes.”  

-Gerard Wright, Nature Reviews Microbiology 2007 [3]

Given that they are ubiquitous in the environment, it is no surprise that there are antibiotic resistant genes in many foods [5]. Breast milk, too, contains antibiotic resistant genes carried on bacteria found in the raw breast milk [6].

Breastmilk and Antibiotic Resistant Genes

Researchers in Helsinki found that, even though breast milk contains antibiotic resistant genes, babies who were breast fed actually have less antibiotic resistant genes in their guts than babies who weren’t breastfed or who terminated breastfeeding early [7].  Researchers attribute this benefit to the fact that breastmilk promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria, which can then outcompete the bacteria carrying antibiotic resistant genes. Like breast milk, cow’s milk has also been shown to support the growth of bifidobacterial [8]. 

Potential Dangers of Antibiotic Resistant Genes

Antibiotic resistant genes can pose potential health threats in specific circumstances. When antibiotics are taken, the intestinal microbiome is disrupted as both beneficial and harmful bacteria are killed off. This weakens our immune systems overall [9]. If there are antibiotic resistant bacteria present in the gut, taking antibiotics actually allows these bacteria to proliferate in the absence of competing bacteria. There can then be infection or illness which is not able to be respond to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is now responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people every year in the USA alone [10].

For example, C. diff. colitis (clostridium difficile colitis) is infection of the colon that results from disruption of the healthy bacteria in the gut, usually as a result of taking antibiotics. C. diff. can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, bloody stools, kidney failure, and even death. One of the best treatment options for severe C. diff. infections is fecal transplant. Severely ill C. diff. patients have a 92% cure rate from fecal transplants, which provide a healthy flush of poop from a healthy human donor into the colon [11]. The fecal transplant recolonizes the gut with healthy bacteria.

Zero Pathogens in Raw Milk Samples

Coming back to the study funded by the NIH and USDA [1], researchers found that antibiotic resistant genes proliferated in raw milk that was allowed to sit at room temperature for hours.  Their research showed that raw milk which was kept refrigerated had low levels of antibiotic resistant genes.  What this actually demonstrates is that raw milk from around the country is being produced very cleanly, resulting in low bacteria counts.

Most of the potential beneficial bacteria to be found in milk is from either fecal or soil origin. Yes…dirt is very good for you and a little poop does not hurt either [12]. It has long been understood that living in a farm environment has substantial health benefits over living in urban environments [13]. However, in our modern world with immune-compromised consumers, the raw milk standards have had to change.

For raw milk to be legal for sale and safe for the general public (including immune-compromised people), it must be very hygienic. It can no longer have dirt or poop in it. So, all that is left is clean, delicious, safe raw milk from deep inside the cow’s or goat’s udder. The government-funded study tested retail raw milk samples and they found ZERO pathogens! This should be celebrated as true progress towards farm cleanliness and testing.

“[Raw] milk samples in the present study were screened for Listeria spp., Salmonella enterica, and E. coli O157:H7. None were detected.”

-Liu et al. Microbiome 2020 [1]

Fermenting Raw Milk

For thousands of years, people have known how to ferment or “clabber” raw milk by simply leaving it at room temperature instead of refrigerating it.  In the absence of refrigeration, traditional cultures often consumed raw milk in fermented form [14]. Such milk would have contained ample beneficial lactic acid bacteria from the small amounts of dirt or manure that would have been present on the udders and teats of the milk animals, and would therefore quickly ferment at room temperature. 

In modern times, people have largely lost their taste for spontaneously fermented, sour raw milk. Raw milk farmers and consumers aim to maintain the sweet flavor of fresh milk as long as possible. The farmers do this by thoroughly cleaning the udders and milking equipment to ensure the milk will have low bacteria counts [15], as well as by rapidly chilling the milk and keeping it cold.  Consumers, too, work to make sure their raw milk is kept cold, even during transport.  Keeping raw milk cold allows it to retain its sweet taste and gives it a longer shelf life.

One useful point of information from the government-funded study was the finding that “spontaneous fermentation does not grow beneficial lactic acid bacteria”. This means that the very clean, low-bacteria count raw milk which is currently available in the USA may not ferment very well in the traditional way. The flavor of spontaneously fermented raw milk is not generally palatable to the modern raw milk consumer. Thus, most raw milk consumers actually work to make sure that their raw milk does not ferment and stays fresh and sweet.

Generally, raw milk consumers who intentionally ferment their milk will do so by adding beneficial bacteria such as yogurt starter or kefir grains. Kefir, in particular, is associated with a wide number of health benefits including lower blood pressure, decreased insulin resistance, tumor suppression and prevention, and improved composition of the gut microbiota [16-19].

The Bottom Line

The NIH and USDA-funded study found no pathogens in raw milk. This is further confirmation of the findings published in the January 2020 Journal of Epidemiology and Infection which concluded that “raw milk can be produced with a high level of hygiene and safety” [20].

The government-funded study focused on antibiotic resistant genes which can proliferate in raw milk that is left at room temperature for hours. However, it is no surprise that raw milk, like breastmilk and many other foods, contains antibiotic resistant genes. The presence of antibiotic resistant genes is not an issue unless the balance of good bacteria in the gut gets disrupted. Both breastmilk and raw milk are known to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria. The study completely ignored the growing body of evidence that has shown that children who drink raw milk have decreased rates of asthma, allergies, eczema, ear infections, fever, and respiratory infections [21-23].

The best way to beat antibiotic resistant bacteria is to protect and nourish the biodiverse bacteria in the gut. You can do this by avoiding antibiotics and processed foods, which damage the gut and immune system [24, 25]. Instead, eat plenty of whole foods such as raw milk, milk kefir, grassfed beef, eggs, and fresh or fermented vegetables and fruits to feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut and allow it to thrive [26].

References

[1] Liu, J., Zhu, Y., Jay-Russell, M. et al. (2020) Reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes in retail raw milk. Microbiome 8, 99 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-020-00861-6

[2] Durso LM, Miller DN, Wienhold BJ (2012) Distribution and Quantification of Antibiotic Resistant Genes and Bacteria across Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Metagenomes. PLOS ONE 7(11): e48325. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0048325

[3] Wright, G. (2007) The antibiotic resistome: the nexus of chemical and genetic diversity. Nat Rev Microbiol 5, 175–186 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1614

[4] Ben Maamar S, Glawe AJ, Brown TK, Hellgeth N, Hu J, et al. (2020) Mobilizable antibiotic resistance genes are present in dust microbial communities. PLOS Pathogens 16(1): e1008211. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1008211

[5] Fogler K, Guron GKP, Wind LL, Keenum IM, Hession WC, Krometis L-A, Strawn LK, Pruden A and Ponder MA (2019) Microbiota and Antibiotic Resistome of Lettuce Leaves and Radishes Grown in Soils Receiving Manure-Based Amendments Derived From Antibiotic-Treated Cows. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 3:22. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2019.00022

[6] Pärnänen, K., Karkman, A., Hultman, J. et al. (2018) Maternal gut and breast milk microbiota affect infant gut antibiotic resistome and mobile genetic elements. Nat Commun 9, 3891. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06393-w

[ 7] Ravindran S. (2019) Breastfeeding May Help Protect Babies from Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. SPLASH! milk science update: January 2019 Issue. https://milkgenomics.org/article/breastfeeding-may-help-protect-babies-from-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria/

[8] Rova S, Rada V, Marsik P, Vlkova E, Bunesova V, Sklenar J, Splichal I. (2011) Growth of bifidobacteria and clostridia on human and cow milk saccharides. Anaerobe 17(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2011.07.009.

[9] McAfee M, Smith S. (2020) Immunity, the Immune System, and Raw Milk. Raw Milk Institute website. https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/updates/immunity-the-immune-system-and-raw-milk

[10] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019) More People in the United States Dying from Antibiotic-Resistant Infections than Previously Estimated. CDC website. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p1113-antibiotic-resistant.html

[11] Brandt L. J. (2012). Fecal transplantation for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 8(3). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3365524/

[12] Akst, J. (2020) The influence of soil no immune health. The Scientist website. https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/the-influence-of-soil-on-human-health-66885

[13] Wells, AD, Poole JA, and Romberger DJ. (2014) Influence of farming exposure on the development of asthma and asthma-like symptoms. International immunopharmacology, 23(1), 356–363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2014.07.014

[14] Levi, J. (2014) The Smoke Cured Fermented Milk of the Samburu. Presentation at Wise Traditions London 2014. https://westonaprice.london/videos/samburu/

[15] Smith, S. (2020) Udder Preparation for Raw Milk. Raw Milk Institute website. https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/updates/udder-preparation-for-raw-milk

[16] Bourrie BC, Willing BP, and Cotter PD. (2016) The Microbiota and Health Promoting Characteristics of the Fermented Beverage Kefir. Frontiers in microbiology, 7, 647. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00647

[17] Bellikci-Koyu E, Sarer-Yurekli BP, Akyon Y, Aydin-Kose F, Karagozlu C, Ozgen AG, Brinkmann A, Nitsche A, Ergunay K, Yilmaz E, and Buyuktuncer Z. (2019) Effects of Regular Kefir Consumption on Gut Microbiota in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A Parallel-Group, Randomized, Controlled Study. Nutrients, 11(9), 2089. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092089

[18] Guzel-Seydim ZB, Kok-Tas T, Greene AK, Seydim AC. (2011) Review: functional properties of kefir. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 51(3):261-268. doi:10.1080/10408390903579029

[19] de Oliveira Leite AM, Miguel MA, Peixoto RS, Rosado AS, Silva JT, and Paschoalin VM. (2013) Microbiological, technological and therapeutic properties of kefir: a natural probiotic beverage. Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology], 44(2), 341–349. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1517-83822013000200001

[20] Berge AC, Baars T. (2020) Raw milk producers with high levels of hygiene and safety. Epidemiology and Infection. 148:e14. doi:10.1017/S0950268820000060

[21] Loss G, Apprich S, Waser M, Kneifel W, Genuneit J, Büchele G, Weber J, Sozanska B, Danielewicz H, Horak E, Joost van Neerven RJ, Heederik D, Lorenzen PC, von Mutius E, Braun-Fahrländer C; GABRIELA study group. (2011) The protective effect of farm milk consumption on childhood asthma and atopy: The GABRIELA study. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 128 (4): 766-73. https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(11)01234-6/fulltext

[22] Perkin MR and Strachan DP. (2006) Which aspects of the farming lifestyle explain the inverse association with childhood allergy? Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2006; 117 (6):1374-81. https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(06)00651-8/fulltext

[23] Loss G, Depner M, Ulfman LH, Joost van Neerven RJ, Hose AJ, Genuneit J, Karvonen M, Hyvärinen A, Kaulek V, Roduit C, Weber J, Lauener R, Pfefferle PI, Pekkanen J, Vaarala O, Dalphin JC, Riedler J, Braun-Fahrländer C, von Mutius E, Ege MJ; PASTURE study group. (2015) Consumption of unprocessed cow's milk protects infants from common respiratory infections. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.  135 (1): 56-62. https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749%2814%2901274-3/fulltext

[24] Watanabe K, Gilchrist CA, Uddin J, Burgess SL, Abhyankar MM, Moonah SN, Noor Z, Donowitz JR, Schneider BN, Arju T, Ahmed E, Kabir M, Alam M, Haque R, Pramoonjago P, Mehrad B, Petri WA. (2017) Microbiome-mediated neutrophil recruitment via CXCR2 and protection from amebic colitis. PLOS Pathogens; 13 (8): e1006513 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006513

[25] Paula Neto HA, Ausina P, Gomez LS, Leandro JGB, Zancan P, Sola-Penna M. (2017) Effects of Food Additives on Immune Cells As Contributors to Body Weight Gain and Immune-Mediated Metabolic Dysregulation. Front Immunol.8:1478. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2017.01478

[26] McAfee M. (2020) Build Immune System Strength With Whole Foods: Drink Raw Milk! Raw Milk Institute website. https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/updates/whole-foods-build-immune-system-strength

FAQ About Raw Milk and COVID19

Got questions about raw milk and COVID19? We’ve gotcha covered!

• Can I catch COVID19 by drinking raw milk?

• Does raw milk strengthen the immune system?

• Does raw milk support lung health?

• Is raw milk healthier than pasteurized milk?

• I thought raw milk was unsafe. Isn’t pasteurization necessary for safety?

• Where can I find tested, low-risk raw milk?

• What if there aren’t any Raw Milk Institute LISTED dairies near me?

Check out questions and answers about raw milk and COVID19 here:

RAW MILK RISK MANAGEMENT WORKS!

There is a growing body of evidence that raw milk is a low-risk food when it is produced carefully and intentionally. Previous papers, such as “Recent Trends in Unpasteurized Fluid Milk Outbreaks, Legalization, and Consumption in the United States,” have shown that the rate of raw milk related outbreaks is decreasing, meanwhile the consumption of raw milk is increasing.

In a new paper published in the January 2020 Journal of Epidemiology and Infection, Cat Berge and Ton Baars have investigated the use of intentional raw milk production and testing practices in the USA, Canada, and Germany. Berge and Baars compared test data from raw milk intended for pasteurization to test data from the Raw Milk Institute, the German Vorzugsmilch system, and the British Columbia Herdshare Association. The test data show that raw milk being intentionally produced for human consumption is fundamentally different from pre-pasteurized milk that is taken from bulk tanks. It was concluded that "raw milk can be produced with a high level of hygiene and safety.”

This paper provides further proof that, with farmer training, careful production practices, and ongoing testing, low-risk raw milk is achievable! This is great news, since raw milk has been shown to have protective effects against asthma, allergies, eczema, respiratory infections, ear infections, and fevers.

Letter to Medical Professionals about Raw Milk

The Raw Milk Institute has written a letter addressed to medical professionals about the benefits and safety of raw milk. This letter provides a comprehensive summary of the latest science on the nutritional and health benefits of raw milk, the negative impacts of pasteurization, and the safety of raw milk.

Feel free to share this letter far and wide! It can be used to educate your family doctor or other healthcare professionals about why you choose to drink raw milk. And it can also be given to interested family and friends who want to know more about raw milk.

Raw Milk Institute Board of Directors

RawMilkInstitute.org

December 2019

To: Medical Professionals and Healthcare Providers

Re: Raw Milk as a Low-Risk Therapeutic Tool

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Several medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Canadian Medical Association, and Australian Medical Association, promote a position against consumption of raw milk or raw milk products.  The stated reasons for this position are that raw milk may contain dangerous pathogens  and that raw milk does not possess any benefits over pasteurized milk. However,  these conclusions are outdated and in conflict with the most up-to-date peer-reviewed and internationally-published research.

It is true that raw milk produced as “intended for pasteurization” and sourced from  Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) is generally unsanitary and unsafe to consume raw.  Such milk is being produced in conditions where animal health is compromised, antibiotics are utilized, hormones are used to stimulate higher levels of milk production, there is an abundance of manure, and there is a corresponding high rate of pathogens.  This type of milk is generally commingled with milk from multiple dairies, which increases the risk of pathogenic exposure. This type of raw milk is actually defined under the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.  At the Raw Milk Institute, we agree that consumption of this type of raw milk is high risk.

However, raw milk that is carefully and intentionally produced for direct human consumption is a low-risk food with superb nutritional benefits. This type of raw milk is wholly different from raw milk being produced in unhygienic conditions. Raw milk intended for direct human consumption is produced in sanitary conditions, with much care to ensure that the animals are healthy and that the milk is clean. This type of raw milk is tested often and held to rigorous standards to ensure that it is being produced in a way that discourages pathogen growth.  

Carefully produced raw milk has numerous health advantages over pasteurized milk. Whereas pasteurized milk is now recognized as a top food allergen and difficult to digest, raw milk is actually a health-supporting food with rich therapeutic potential and is easily digested by most consumers.  Like breastmilk, raw milk is a living whole food which provides excellent nutrition along with health-supporting enzymes and probiotics. Raw milk has a superior nutrient profile, whereas pasteurized milk has diminished nutrition with denatured proteins and fats. People who are lactose intolerant can often consume raw milk with no maldigestion, due to the presence of a variety of living bacteria which facilitate production of lactase enzyme in the intestines. Numerous scientific studies have shown that raw milk is correlated with decreased rates of asthma, allergies, eczema, otitis, fever, and respiratory infections. Raw milk also aids in recovery from antibiotic use, and provides many gut-healthy probiotics and enzymes.

Carefully produced raw milk is a health-promoting food that has been maligned because of the simple fact that people are confusing it with commodity milk that has been produced with the intention to be pasteurized. Doctors and healthcare professionals routinely warn patients that raw milk is unsafe to consume, but there is ample evidence that this conclusion is not applicable to carefully-produced raw milk. For the health of your patients and clients, please consider the following information about the benefits and safety of raw milk.

Nutritional Benefits of Pasteurized Milk vs. Raw Milk

Pasteurized milk is now known as one of the foremost allergenic foods [1]. Scientific evidence against pasteurized milk is mounting: for instance, a study of nearly 800 European children found that children who consumed pasteurized milk were more likely to show signs of milk allergy, whereas children who consumed raw milk were protected from milk allergy [2]. The process of pasteurization denatures and destroys many nutrients, so much so that synthetic vitamins are added back in after pasteurization.

The CDC argues that, "Most of the nutritional benefits of drinking milk are available from pasteurized milk" and "the heating process of pasteurization inactivates some enzymes in milk but scientists do not believe these enzymes are important in human health"[3].  These conclusions are clearly outdated and in conflict with the most recent research. Current science has shown that pasteurization has a negative effect on the nutritive qualities of milk, and the impact is not inconsequential.

Pasteurization of milk has been shown to:

• Reduce the bioavailability of calcium and phosphorus [4, 5],

• Reduce the presence of copper and iron [6],

• Reduce Vitamins A, B Complex, C, and E [3, 7, 8],

• Destroy beta-lactoglobulin, thereby decreasing intestinal absorption of Vitamins A and D [9, 10],

• Destroy probiotics [11], including lactobacillus and pediococcus, and

• Inactivate beneficial enzymes, including lactase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactoperoxidase [12, 13].

In many ways, raw milk can be likened to breastmilk: they both contain a wide array of beneficial nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, in their natural form which is most easily utilized by the body. Both raw milk and breastmilk are designed to provide excellent nutrition and strengthen the immune system . It is widely acknowledged that breastmilk is the best food for the early years of life, however raw milk is a natural next step after breastfeeding. Raw milk, and especially raw milk from pastured animals [14],  is a great source of calcium, iron, Vitamins A, D & K, phosphorus, zinc, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and omega-3 fatty acids, plus many beneficial enzymes and probiotics.

Raw milk contains many types of beneficial enzymes, yet these enzymes are inactivated by pasteurization. For instance, raw milk contains protease enzyme, which aids in digestion of proteins [13], and lipase enzyme, which aids in digestion of fats [15].   Lactoperoxidase is a naturally occurring antimicrobial enzyme in raw milk [16]. Alkaline phosphatase enzyme is attached to the fat globules in raw milk; intestinal alkaline phosphatase enzyme is associated with decreased inflammation and lower rates of cardiovascular disease and Type-2 diabetes [17]. These and numerous other beneficial enzymes in raw milk are inactivated by pasteurization.

Beneficial probiotics in raw milk are diverse and abundant. These raw milk probiotics have a number of known health benefits. For example, raw milk contains a variety of living bacteria which facilitate the production of lactase enzyme in the intestine, which has been shown to help with lactose digestion in lactose intolerant people [18]. Lactobacilli "typically inhibit pathogenic organisms, reduce lactose intolerance, increase the immune response and often are gastrointestinal isolates... Other milk and dairy isolates that exhibit probiotic properties include strains of Lactococcus lactis as well as a variety of Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, Enterococcus and Streptococcus isolates... Strains of P. freudenreichii, and to a lesser extent P. acidipropionici, have begun to attract attention as potential probiotics as a consequence of studies revealing an ability, either alone or in combination with other probiotics, to reduce pathogen adhesion to mucus, increase bifidobacteria counts in the gut, aid in restoring a healthy gut microbiota, improve bowel movement, alleviate inflammatory disorders and reduce allergy development in infants" [19]. Probiotics are destroyed by pasteurization.

Health Benefits of Raw Milk

From 1893-1999, the American Association of Medical Milk Commissions  (AAMMC) certified clean, safe raw milk for human consumption and even medical therapeutic use. This certified raw milk was recognized to be of therapeutic benefit for infants, children, and adults [20]. This milk was used effectively in hospitals around the United States and was used to treat a wide variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, renal disease, liver disease, hypertension, edema, asthma, arthritis, tuberculosis, and diabetes [21, 22, 23].

Dr. Charles Porter MD published the book Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease, which details his use of a raw milk diet in the treatment of over 18,000 patients over the course of 27 years. Dr J.E. Crewe MD, one of the founders of the Mayo Foundation, successfully used raw milk in his medical practice for over 15 years, and said that the "results obtained in various types of disease have been so uniformly excellent that one’s conception of disease and its alleviation is necessarily changed... When sick people are limited to a diet containing an excess of vitamins and all the elements necessary to growth and maintenance, they recover rapidly without the use of drugs and without bringing to bear all the complicated weapons of modern medicine" [22].

More recent scientific studies have shown that raw milk is associated with a number of tangible health benefits:

• A study of over 8,000 European children showed that raw milk consumption is associated with significantly lower rates of asthma and allergies [24].

• A study of over 900 European children concluded that, "Continuous farm [raw] milk consumption in childhood protects against asthma at school age" [25].

• A study of over 14,800 European children concluded that there is a "significant inverse association between farm [raw] milk consumption and childhood asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, sensitization to pollen, a mix of food allergens, and horse dander" [26].

• A study of over 3,000 USA adults concluded that, " Raw milk, if the main type of milk consumed in childhood, was also associated with reduced risk of atopy" and current raw milk consumption in adulthood intensified this beneficial effect [27]. 

• A study of over 3,000 USA adults concluded that, "raw milk consumption, particularly early in life, is associated with better pulmonary function in adulthood" [28].

• A study of over 900 European children concluded that, "Early life consumption of raw cow's milk reduced the risk of manifest respiratory infections and fever by about 30%" [29].

• A study of over 4,000 European children found that consumption of raw milk was associated with a strong protective effect against eczema [30].

These studies specifically compared raw milk to pasteurized milk, and have concluded that raw milk has significant health benefits over pasteurized milk.

Safety of Raw Milk

It is important to note that there is no such thing as a perfectly safe food [20]. An analysis of foodborne illnesses from 2009-2015 showed that the top food categories commonly linked to illnesses were chicken, pork, and seeded vegetables [31]. Pasteurized milk is not perfectly safe, either, and is implicated in foodborne illnesses and outbreaks every year.  CDC outbreak and illness data since 1972 shows at least 82 deaths from pasteurized dairy products.

The CDC outbreak and illness data which is used to assert that raw milk is unsafe does not distinguish raw milk intended for pasteurization from raw milk that is carefully produced and intended for direct human consumption. The FDA has no standard for raw milk intended for human consumption. It has only the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO).  It is known that raw milk intended for pasteurization often contains pathogens; studies have shown that up to 24% of this type of milk tests positive for pathogens [32]. Additionally, the CDC data used to implicate raw milk includes outbreaks and illnesses from “bathtub cheese” (i.e. Mexican-style Queso Fresco made illegally at home); queso fresco is inherently more dangerous than raw milk, and is associated with more serious outbreaks and illnesses. The CDC data reports only two deaths from raw dairy products since 1972, and both of these deaths were associated with queso fresco.

Nearly 10 million people in the USA were consuming raw milk regularly as of 2007 [33], and the number of people consuming raw milk is likely to be higher now given the growing popularity of raw milk. An independent assessment of raw milk risks from 2000-2007, which excluded queso fresco-related illnesses and outbreaks, concluded that there was a "a roughly 1 in 94,000 chance of becoming ill from drinking unpasteurized milk during that period... During the 2000−2007 period, there were 12 hospitalizations for illnesses associated with raw fluid milk. That’s an average of 1.5 per year. With approximately 9.4 million people drinking raw milk, that means you have about a 1 in 6 million chance of being hospitalized from drinking raw milk" [34].

Furthermore, recent improvements in raw milk risk management methods and training have led to a significant reduction in raw milk-related illnesses and outbreaks.  The Raw Milk Institute, founded in 2011, has developed farmer training and Common Standards for raw milk which is intended for direct human consumption. These rigorous standards and training result in low-risk raw milk, as documented in a 2018 peer-reviewed paper titled, " Recent Trends in Unpasteurized Fluid Milk Outbreaks, Legalization, and Consumption in the United States." This paper concluded that, "The rate of unpasteurized milk-associated outbreaks has been declining since 2010, despite increasing legal distribution. Controlling for growth in population and consumption, the outbreak rate has effectively decreased by 74% since 2005" [35].

A Balanced Viewpoint About Raw Milk

Commodity raw milk and dedicated raw drinking milk are categorically different foods.  It is clear that raw milk produced with the intention to be pasteurized is likely to contain dangerous pathogens. However, raw milk that is carefully produced for direct human consumption is subjected to rigorous testing and standards. Evidence has shown that this type of raw milk is a low-risk food.

Raw milk has superior nutrition and significant health benefits over pasteurized milk.  Raw milk contains greater bioavailable nutrients than pasteurized milk, as well as a wide array of beneficial enzymes and probiotics which are known to have benefits on the immune system and gastrointestinal tract.  Raw milk consumption has been correlated with increased resistance to allergies, asthma, respiratory infections, otitis, and eczema.  Thus, raw milk can be an important therapeutic tool.

If you would like more information about raw milk, please feel free to contact the Raw Milk Institute by email at contact@rawmilkinstitute.org .

The Raw Milk Institute is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring and training farmers in the production of safe, low-risk raw milk.

References

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[19] The complex microbiota of raw milk. FEMS Microbiology Review. 2013: 37(5), 664-98. Quigley L, O'Sullivan O, Stanton C, Beresford TP, Ross RP, Fitzgerald GF, Cotter PD. https://academic.oup.com/femsre/article/37/5/664/541439

[20] Securing Fresh Food From Fertile Soil, Challenges to the Organic and Raw Milk Movements. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, Cambridge University Press. 2017. J Heckman. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/renewable-agriculture-and-food-systems/article/securing-fresh-food-from-fertile-soil-challenges-to-the-organic-and-raw-milk-movements/18325E375E068A538E07EF4E6F6ABA22

[21] Porter, Charles Sanford. Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease. Burnett P.O., California, 1911. https://archive.org/details/milkdietasremedy00portiala/page/n1

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Battle for Butter

Together with the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, RAWMI is taking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to court over legalization of raw butter! Currently, it is illegal to ship or sell raw butter across state lines. The FDA is denying Americans access to raw butter, which is a very powerful anti-inflammatory food, meanwhile we are suffering from more chronic illness! The FDA was petitioned about changing the raw butter laws in 2016; they are supposed to respond to Citizen Petitions within 180 days, but the Raw Butter Petition has had no response from the FDA for more than 3 years.

BENEFITS OF BUTTER

Raw butter is an exceptionally nutritious food. For instance, the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is found in the butter fat membrane that covers fat globules. ALP decreases inflammation in the body; it is associated with good health and less chronic illness, such as cardiovascular disease and Type-2 diabetes. Raw milk has 4% butter fat, but raw butter contains 86% fat and thus it is very high in alkaline phosphatase.  ALP enzyme is destroyed by pasteurization.

BUTTER AND PATHOGENS

The FDA’s position is supposedly based on safety, but the science shows otherwise. Butter's low moisture, low pH levels, high fat content and salt levels inhibit pathogen growth. Safe raw milk makes ultra-safe raw butter with powerful health benefits.

The FDA should have no rational or reasonable basis for argument against raw butter and its legal access by all Americans. The courts should side with the facts and order the FDA to start regulating raw butter the way they regulate 60-day aged raw cheese, allowing it to pass freely all over America. Give Americans access to raw butter!

For more information, here are the official Press Release and Filed Complaint from the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund:

FTCLDF Press Release

FTCLDF Filed Complaint