Raw milk can be a host to a wide array of pathogens, including but not limited to, staphylococcus aureus, campylobacter jejuni, E. coli, listeria monocytogenes and yesinia enterocolitica. The incidence of infection varies worldwide and not all cases of illness are serious enough to be reported. Since 1998, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 831 illnesses, 66 hospitalizations and 1 death associated with raw milk. As recently as January 2009, a research study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Disease stated unpasteurized (raw) milk is a continued public health threat.
The writer is Jo-Ann Heslin, the dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with 12 current titles and sales in excess of 7 million books. Her words are found on HealthNewsDigest.com where she responds to the question: Is Raw Milk Safe To Drink?
Ms. Heslin does not mince words, answering: “In a word, no.” Go here and read it all.