Question 1

Do you drink raw milk? Have you ever become ill from drinking it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I have drunk raw milk all my life (I'm nearly 60) and so has dad (over 80 now). We have never been ill from drinking our own milk. Claire and I have four very fit, sport-loving sons. They have all drank raw milk from 6months old and they too have never been ill from it

Question 2

Why do the supermarkets sell pasteurised and homogenised milk? Is it something to do with shelf life?

Accepted Answer

It is nothing to do with shelf life. If a supermarket sells milk, by law it must be pasteurised. By law, only the farmer himself can sell raw milk, so shops, supermarkets etc cannot sell it. Supermarkets can only sell pasteurised milk, most of which is also now homogenised. So it is more of a legal issue, than a shelf life issue. Homogenisation is not a legal requirement, it is done for cosmetic reasons. Homogenisation has no effect on shelf life. The big retailers think the consumer does not want to see a cream line, nor the cream at the top of the milk bottle. The vast bulk of the milk they sell has no cream line as it is homogenised. This process physically smashes the fat globules into tiny globules that cannot ever settle out and rise to the top. They remain in even suspension throughout the milk. It has been my experience that hygienically produced raw milk has a longer life than pasteurised.

Question 3

Are there any health benefits to drinking pasteurised and homogenised milk? Or is the milk 'dead'?

Accepted Answer

I don't really like to knock an industry that I am part of as a milk producer. There are benefits to drinking pasteurised milk, such as calcium. But it has nowhere near the same number of benefits that raw milk offers. Raw milk has all the benefits of pasteurised milk, plus:

i) The protein is not denatured (physically altered in shape) as is the case once pasteurised (heat treated), and is therefore fully available and metabolisable by the body.

ii) Cholesterol is not heat treated and remains in its natural state as good cholesterol that the body can metabolise and use. Once milk cholesterol is heat treated, it is altered into a form the body cannot deal with, so the body produces more of its own cholesterol to deal with this 'bad' cholesterol. It has been shown in the U.S. that raw milk lowers blood cholesterol, whereas pasteurised milk increases blood cholesterol.

iii) All the good bacteria are still present and help with gut action and digestion. It is also possible that these good bacteria also help fight bacteria infection within the body.

iv) All the enzymes in raw milk are still present. Some people are lactose intolerant, which means they cannot digest lactose milk sugar as they themselves do not produce lactase enzyme. This is the enzyme needed to help digest lactose sugar. Raw milk contains lactase and therefore helps digest lactose, and deal with that intolerance. Lactase is just one enzyme found in raw milk, there are others too! All these wonderful enzymes are killed by pasteurisation.

v) It has been shown that raw milk helps to fight eczema, hayfever, allergies and asthma. On our own milk round, we have customers that have our milk to get rid of their eczema. Since having our milk, their eczema has either improved or disappeared!

There are more benefits, but in conclusion, I would say that there are far more benefits to drinking raw milk. A study by GSCE students for the BBC programme Countryfile about three years ago was interesting. Three petri dishes were prepared, one with UHT milk, one pasteurised and one raw milk, and left open to the atmosphere. Nothing grew on the UHT sample, it could not support life. Only good bacteria grew on the raw sample, and only bad bacteria grew on the pasteurised one. Why? Well, in the pasteurised sample, the good bacteria once in it, were now all dead, leaving a good substrate ripe for invasion by whatever bacteria were around in the atomosphere, whereas with the raw sample, the good bacteria still in the milk repelled any bacteria that tried to invade! That is fantastic!

I would say that drinking homogenised milk is potentially harmful! Remember, it is only done for cosmetic reasons. The organic movement would like to see this process banned. Firstly, some believe that the smashed up globules of fat become so small by this process, that they are passing straight into peoples bloodstreams, and that is what is clogging blood vessels up. Secondly, a globule of fat is coated in protein. In its natural state and size, the ratio of fat to protein is as nature intended, and is fine for us. However, once the fat is smashed into tiny globules they are still coated with protein, but now the ratio of fat to protein is altered, as the protein element is now a bigger proportion in that ratio. Some believe that this alteration with there being excess protein is also causing metabolic problems for people. Combine that with the milk protein being denatured by pasteurisation, then it could be said that tiny fat globules coated by protein that may no longer be digestible are passing straight into the bloodstream.

Question 4

Do you agree with putting the health warning or do you think the government are trying to scare people away from buying raw milk?

Accepted Answer

I think that some people are 'scared off' by the government warning, and some people think the government warning is way over the top.
I do think it is slightly over the top. However, I am pleased to have it, if it is part of the legislation that allows producers like me able to become licensed to sell raw milk. In terms of risk, there is risk in everything. For example, can you be certain that pasteurised milk does not become contaminated AFTER the pasteurisation process? I think the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are spot on with the current system of approving a milk producer like me to sell raw milk. In order for me to sell raw milk, our milk must pass three consecutive bactoscan tests, and three strict coliform tests, as well as regular unannounced dairy inspections by the FSA. Once we have passed these, then we can sell raw milk. The unannounced dairy inspections continue once we are selling raw milk, as does an unannounced milk sampler, who takes samples of our milk which must pass the FSA bactoscan and coliform tests on an ongoing basis. I completely agree with this system, as it eliminates risk of raw milk being produced unhygienically, and protects you the consumer. I fear that if raw milk was banned, that raw milk sales would go 'underground' (there is such a strong, unstoppable demand for it), and the consumer would not have these protection systems in place, and then be exposed to risk.

Question 5

How soon should you drink/finish the raw milk in?

Accepted Answer

If kept cold, you should not notice any change in taste in the first five to seven days, although it may pick up taints from the fridge, if not sealed. After five to seven days, the bacteria in the milk start to produce lactic acid, which gives the milk its sour taste. However, this same acidity effectively ‘pickles’ the milk. Many bacteria cannot survive this acidic environment and the bacteria population decreases. Raw milk goes from being a nutritional fresh milk, to a nutritional stable sour milk that can be used in many ways. Pasteurised milk cannot defend itself. Once it turns, it can only go bad. When raw milk starts to turn, it will have a slightly, cheesy, and/or sour taste. This is a change in taste. The milk is still fine, and can be used in cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

Do you drink raw milk? Have you ever become ill from drinking it?

Why do the supermarkets sell pasteurised and homogenised milk? Is it something to do with shelf life?

Are there any health benefits to drinking pasteurised and homogenised milk? Or is the milk 'dead'?

Do you agree with putting the health warning or do you think the government are trying to scare people away from buying raw milk?

How soon should you drink/finish the raw milk in?