Is Raw Milk Safe?

Recent debates have left consumers wondering if raw milk is as dangerous as it has been made out to be. Pasteurization, introduced in the early 1900s, began to phase out raw milk from general public consumption. Raw milk contains harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness in many humans, however, raw milk enthusiasts claim that it has more nutritional value, promotes fewer dairy allergies, and enhances digestive health.
I have reviewed scientific evidence surrounding the risks and benefits of raw milk consumption and focused on its association with foodborne illnesses as well as compared the health implications of raw versus pasteurized milk.
While anywhere from the media to the doctor’s office, we are pushed to know that milk is a healthy and beneficial beverage to help our bones grow strong.  Milk sold for consumers in grocery stores is known as pasteurized milk. Pasteurization is a process that kills bacteria in the milk by heat.
There has been a recent debate on whether or not raw milk should be classified as healthy or unhealthy. With the growing movement of raw foods and eating “clean” and organic, many people are pushing for the legalization of raw milk. Raw milk enthusiasts may claim that raw milk is suitable for those with lactose intolerance, that raw milk itself will kill harmful bacteria, and that pasteurized milk kills beneficial nutritional value in milk (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 2018).
Bacteria that can cause food poisoning are found in raw milk. Those such as salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and campylobacter. Raw milk byproducts such as butter, cheese, cream, and buttermilk also contain these harmful bacteria. These strains of bacteria can be present in raw milk due to an ill cow, environmental factors, water contamination, or contaminated milking equipment. Despite claims by raw milk proponents that pasteurization destroys beneficial bacteria and nutritional content, research shows that pasteurization destroys mostly harmful bacteria.  Beneficial bacteria lost during pasteurization are often reintroduced in other dairy products like yogurt and cheese but are not reintroduced to milk itself. No research proves other benefits to raw milk such as its gut health benefits or a decrease in lactose intolerance.
Given the significant reduction in milk-borne illnesses due to pasteurization, I don’t think that the benefits of pasteurized milk far outweigh the unproven claims of raw milk enthusiasts, and that pasteurization remains essential for protecting public health. There are too many variable factors that come into play when trying to produce raw milk. While it may be true that raw milk itself doesn’t naturally come with pathogens, it is incredibly easy for raw milk to get contaminated through various factors such as handling, cow health, and equipment. Statistically speaking, there are much fewer cases of food-borne illness stemming from raw milk outbreaks since the implementation of pasteurization. The negatives of food-borne illness found in raw milk greatly outweigh the negatives of losing some vitamins and good bacteria when pasteurizing milk.