What does it mean for milk to be pasteurized?

The Dangers of Raw Milk: Unpasteurized Milk Tin Pose a Serious Health Risk

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Pregnant woman holding a glass of milk

Milk and milk products provide a wealth of nutrition benefits. But raw milk, i.e., unpasteurized milk, can harbor unsafe microorganisms that tin can pose serious wellness risks to you and your family.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 1993 through 2012, there were 127 outbreaks linked to raw milk or raw milk products like ice foam, soft cheese, or yogurt. They resulted in 1,909 illnesses and 144 hospitalizations. CDC points out that almost foodborne illnesses are not a part of recognized outbreaks, and for every affliction reported, many others occur.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, and goats — or any other fauna — that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. Raw milk can comport dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, East. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, and others that cause foodborne affliction, ofttimes called "food poisoning."

These leaner can seriously injure the health of anyone who drinks raw milk or eats products made from raw milk. Yet, the leaner in raw milk tin can exist especially dangerous to people with weakened immune systems (such every bit transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and diabetes), children, older adults, and pregnant women. In fact, CDC finds that foodborne disease from raw milk specially affects children and teenagers.

"Pasteurized Milk" Explained

Pasteurization is a widely used procedure that kills harmful bacteria by heating milk to a specific temperature
for a set period of time. Kickoff developed by Louis Pasteur in 1864, pasteurization kills harmful organisms responsible for such diseases equally listeriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, Q fever, and brucellosis.

The Dangers of Listeria and Pregnancy

Meaning women run a serious take chances of becoming sick from the bacteria Listeria, which is ofttimes establish in raw milk and can crusade miscarriage, or affliction, or decease of the newborn baby. If y'all are pregnant, drinking raw milk — or eating foods made from raw milk, such every bit Mexican-style cheese like Queso Blanco or Queso Fresco — can damage your baby fifty-fifty if y'all don't experience ill.

Raw Milk and Serious Illness

Symptoms and Communication

Symptoms of foodborne disease commonly include:

Vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal hurting
Flu-like symptoms such equally fever, headache, and body ache

While virtually good for you people volition recover from an illness caused by harmful bacteria in raw milk – or in foods made with raw milk – inside a brusk time, some tin develop symptoms that are chronic, severe, or even life-threatening. If you or someone you know becomes ill later on consuming raw milk or products made from raw milk – or, if you lot are significant and think you lot may have consumed contaminated raw milk or cheese – run across a healthcare professional immediately.

Grocery clerk showing a woman a half gallon milk label

Raw Milk & Pasteurization: Debunking Milk Myths

While pasteurization has helped provide safe, nutrient-rich milk and cheese for over 120 years, some people continue to believe that pasteurization harms milk and that raw milk is a safe, healthier alternative.

Here are some common myths and proven facts about milk and pasteurization:

Pasteurizing milk DOES NOT crusade lactose intolerance and allergic reactions. Both raw milk and pasteurized milk tin can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to milk proteins.
Raw milk DOES NOT kill dangerous pathogens by itself.
Pasteurization DOES NOT reduce milk's nutritional value.
Pasteurization DOES NOT mean that it is safe to leave milk out of the fridge for extended time, particularly after it has been opened.
Pasteurization DOES impale harmful bacteria.
Pasteurization DOES save lives.

When in Doubt — Ask!

Read the label. Safe milk volition have the give-and-take "pasteurized" on the label. If the word "pasteurized" does not appear on a product'south label, it may comprise raw milk.
Don't hesitate to ask your grocer or health food store clerk whether milk or foam has been pasteurized, especially milk or milk products sold in refrigerated cases.
Don't buy milk or milk products at farmers' markets or roadside stands unless you lot can ostend that they have been pasteurized.

Is Your Bootleg Ice Cream Safe?

Each year, homemade ice cream causes serious outbreaks of infection from Salmonella. The ingredient responsible is raw or undercooked eggs. If you choose to make ice foam at abode, employ a pasteurized egg production, egg substitute, or pasteurized shell eggs in place of the raw eggs in your favorite recipe. There are likewise many egg-free water ice foam recipes available.

Protect Your Family with Wise Nutrient Choices

Most milk and milk products sold commercially in the United states comprise pasteurized milk or cream, or the products take been produced in a manner that kills whatever dangerous bacteria that may be present. Just, unpasteurized milk and products made from unpasteurized milk are sold and may be harmful to your health. To avoid getting sick from the dangerous bacteria found in raw milk, you should choose your milk and milk products advisedly. Follow these guidelines:

Low Risk Choices

Pasteurized milk or cream
Hard cheeses such as cheddar, and extra difficult grating cheeses such every bit Parmesan
Soft cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican-fashion soft cheeses such as Queso Fresco, Panela, Asadero, and Queso Blanco made from pasteurized milk
Processed cheeses
Cream, cottage, and Ricotta cheese made from pasteurized milk
Yogurt made from pasteurized milk
Pudding fabricated from pasteurized milk
Ice cream or frozen yogurt fabricated from pasteurized milk

High Risk Choices

Unpasteurized milk or cream
Soft cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert, and Mexican-style soft cheeses such as Queso Fresco, Panela, Asadero, and Queso Blanco made from unpasteurized milk
Yogurt fabricated from unpasteurized milk
Pudding fabricated from unpasteurized milk
Ice foam or frozen yogurt made from unpasteurized milk

Safe Food Handling: 4 Simple Steps

CLEAN

Wash hands and surfaces oft

Wash your easily with warm water and lather for at least twenty seconds before and afterwards handling food and subsequently using the bathroom, irresolute diapers, and treatment pets.
Wash your cut boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food particular.
Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you employ textile towels, launder them ofttimes in the hot wheel.
Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Scrub firm produce with a clean produce castor.
With canned appurtenances, remember to clean lids before opening.

Split up

Separate raw meats from other foods

Split up raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags, and refrigerator.
Employ ane cut board for fresh produce and a separate ane for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs unless the plate has been washed in hot, soapy water.
Don't reuse marinades used on raw foods unless y'all bring them to a boil first.

Melt

Cook to the right temperature

Color and texture are unreliable indicators of safety. Using a food thermometer is the merely mode to ensure the safety of meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products for all cooking methods. These foods must be cooked to a safety minimum internal temperature to destroy any harmful leaner.
Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. But employ recipes in which eggs are cooked or heated thoroughly.
When cooking in a microwave oven, encompass food, stir, and rotate for even cooking. If there is no turntable, rotate the dish by mitt one time or twice during cooking. Always allow standing time, which completes the cooking, before checking the internal temperature with a food thermometer.
Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a eddy when reheating.

CHILL

Air-condition foods promptly

Apply an appliance thermometer to be sure the temperature is consistently 40° F or below and the freezer temperature is 0° F or below.
Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and other perishables within ii hours of cooking or purchasing. Air-condition within 1 hour if the temperature outside is above 90° F.
Never thaw nutrient at room temperature, such as on the counter top. There are 3 safety ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold h2o or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
E'er marinate food in the refrigerator.
Split up large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator.

The Dangers of Unpasteurized Milk

Boosted Data

Questions and Answers on Raw Milk
Raw Milk Misconceptions and the Danger of Raw Milk Consumption
FDA and CDC Remind Consumers of the Dangers of Drinking Raw Milk
FoodSafety.gov: Myths About Raw Milk
CDC: Food Safe and Raw Milk

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Source: https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/dangers-raw-milk-unpasteurized-milk-can-pose-serious-health-risk#:~:text=%22Pasteurized%20Milk%22%20Explained,a%20set%20period%20of%20time.