Raw milk, hailed by some as a natural and nutritious alternative to pasteurized dairy, may come with hidden dangers, according to a new Stanford University study. The research, published December 12 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters reveals that influenza or flu virus can remain infectious in refrigerated raw milk for up to five days. The findings come at a time when outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cattle have raised concerns about the potential for a new pandemic.
"This work highlights the potential risk of avian influenza transmission through consumption of raw milk and the importance of milk pasteurization," said study senior author Alexandria Boehm, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Professor of Environmental Studies in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the Stanford School of Engineering. More than 14 million Americans consume raw milk annually. Unlike pasteurized milk, raw milk is not heated to kill potentially harmful pathogens.
Proponents of raw milk claim that it leaves more beneficial nutrients, enzymes, and probiotics than in pasteurized milk, and can boost immune and gastrointestinal health. The Food and Drug Administration has tied raw milk to over 200 outbreaks of illnesses, and - together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - warns that germs, such E. coli and Salmonella, in raw milk present "serious" health risks, especially for children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.
The Science Behin.