Raw Milk Risks

Most modern milk producers pasteurize their milk before bottling to eliminate harmful bacteria and the risk of food poisoning, while fortifying their milk with essential vitamins. Raw milk is dairy milk that is unpasteurized and is not enriched with vitamins or nutrients. Raw milk is subject to bacterial contamination and poses an elevated risk of infection and illness.

Pasteurization

The pasteurization process was developed by its namesake, Louis Pasteur, in 19th-century France. Pasteurization destroys or weakens bacteria in a liquid by heating it for a given period of time. The requisite varies based on the desired temperature, and modern processes often only require seconds of heating followed by rapid cooling.

Milk pasteurization destroys potentially infectious bacteria, and inactivates enzymes that degrade milk quality. The result is safe milk that is virtually free of the risk of food poisoning.

Pasteurized Milk Nutrition

In addition to eliminating harmful bacteria, milk bottlers fortify their milk with essential vitamins during the pasteurization and production process.

The most critical addition to pasteurized milk is vitamin D, a substance that is critical to calcium absorption, and bone and tooth strengthening.

The addition of vitamin D to milk in the United States has virtually eliminated rickets, a disease primarily afflicting children in which bones weaken and fail to properly mineralize, leading to injuries and skeletal deformation. Vitamin D is also essential to preventing osteoporosis and bone weakening in adults, and maintaining dental and skeletal health throughout life.

Raw Milk Safety

Because raw milk is unpasteurized, the same bacteria present in the milk from the udder of the cow, or in the milking and bottling equipment, remains present in the customer's milk. These bacteria often cause raw milk to "sour" in the short term before spoiling. More seriously, such pathogens can also cause serious infections.

Outbreaks of Salmonella, Listeria and Campylobacter have begun from raw milk, and raw milk can present a serious health risk to children and pregnant women. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other medical groups strongly advise against drinking raw milk.

Raw Milk and Vitamin D

In addition to the bacterial threat, raw milk lacks the added vitamin D that fulfills such a crucial role in the health of developing children. The U.S. National Institutes of Health notes that a 1-cup serving of pasteurized milk contains 30 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin D intake.

Raw milk's absence of vitamin D can impede the body's ability to absorb and utilize the calcium and phosphorus that are naturally present even in raw milk. Without being able to properly use these minerals, the body cannot build and maintain bone strength.

Raw Milk and Public Health

The infectious hazard posed by raw milk and its deficient vitamin content have generally made U.S. public health authorities wary of raw milk's potential impact. Raw milk is banned from sale in many American states and restricted in others. As of 2011, it is illegal to sell raw milk across state lines nationwide.