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March 12, 2012 · 2:00 AM

Is Raw Milk Safe?

Caveat emptor

Interest in consuming nonpasteurized milk and cheese seems to be increasing in the U.S. over the last couple years. I don’t know why. Is it safe?

In case you’ve forgotten, the process of pasteurization is designed to kill pathogenic organisms that raw milk may harbor. Campylobacter and Salmonella are two of the common pathogens.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this month published an article on disease outbreaks associated with nonpasteurized dairy products. Bottom line: Nonpasteurized products are 150 times more likely to be associated with foodborne illness compared to pasteurized product. The CDC wants states to consider more stringent regulation.

It’s hard to be sure, but my sense is that foodborne illness related to nonpasteurized dairy products in the U.S. is pretty uncommon, if not rare.

Mark Crislip at Science-Based Medicine says pasteurization is a good thing.

As for me, I’m not going out of my way looking for nonpasteurized milk and cheese.

Steve Parker, M.D.

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Tagged as campylobacter, CDC, foodborne illness, mark crislip, nonpasteurized dairy, raw milk, salmonella

August 19, 2010 · 11:17 PM

Salmonella Is IN the Eggs

The American Council for Science and Health published a brief report on the current massive commercial egg recall in the U.S. Read it for the CDC’s tips on avoiding Salmonella infection.

I had thought the Salmonella germs were simply on the surface of the eggs. Not so, according to ACSH: the hens’ ovaries are contaminated, so the germ ends up in the egg white, yolk, and shell.

Steve Parker, M.D.