Bird Flu and Dairy: Is it safe to drink raw milk?

With the current propaganda of a looming new pandemic most probably to be caused by the Bird Flu being transmitted to cows, articles on how to prevent it include staying away from raw milk or the directive to only drink pasteurized milk. 

Raw milk is not allowed to be sold in Florida but it is legal to drink it. Raw milk is usually passed on as pet food instead.

According to the Center for Disease Prevention (CDC), “unpasteurized (raw) milk and any products made from raw milk, including cheese, ice cream, and yogurt, can be contaminated with germs that can cause serious illness, hospitalization, or death.”

Raw milk enthusiasts believe that pasteurized milk is healthier because it contains more  enzymes that are good for the stomach and lessens issues with lactose intolerance. A research done in 2018 showed almost no difference between pasteurized and raw milk in most of the categories observed.  However, more participants did report adverse gastrointestinal symptoms in the whole gut compared to those who drank raw milk.

According to rawmilk.org, the confusion stems from people not knowing that there are two types of raw milk, the one intended for pasteurization and the one produced for direct human consumption.

The reason why raw milk for pasteurization is labeled not good comes from the dirty environment of the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. Manure fills the ground and the cows have no choice but to stay in it. The cows often get mastitis, a disease in their mammary glands. The cows are also subjected to antibiotics and hormones to increase milk production. This is why the raw milk from these commercialized farms is not good for human consumption.

Most raw milk farmers definitely have cleaner living conditions for their cows to thrive.  Knowing that their success depends on the cleanliness of their milk from grass to bottling, these farmers take extra effort in ensuring that they do things neater and safer. There may be no federal standards but the Raw Milk Institute does have its own standards to ensure that milk is tested and pathogen growth discouraged. 

With these things in mind, do you feel safer to drink pasteurized milk in lieu of warnings of another pandemic or would you rather go for raw natural milk to ensure your body is healthy?