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Milk, In the Raw
The sale of raw milk is a big issue in many farmers' markets -- in some states you can only buy raw milk on the producer's property, in some states it is considered safe only for pet food, and in many states its sale is entirely illegal. Maine is one of the few states to legalize the sale of raw milk, and this piece from the blog vrai-lean-uh is a great look at the history and impact of raw milk both in her state and around the country.
What is raw milk? To quote her piece, Raw milk is, basically, the milk that comes out of the cow (formerly referred to as “milk”). When you put it that way, it's an important reminder that even the milk we buy at the grocery store has gone through processing -- pasteurization and often homogenization -- and that it's our responsibility as consumers to inform ourselves to make our own food decisions.
Raw Milk from vrai-lean-uh
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Tags: what we're reading, vrai-lean-uh, tumblr, milk, raw milk, maine, usda, cows
Comments (1)
11 months ago jacksonholefoodie
The raw milk debate is raging out here in the West. It is illegal to buy unpasteurized milk in my state of Wyoming, but I can drive 20 minutes over to Idaho and buy it in the grocery store or at the farmers market.
Many are convinced that pasteurization destroys much of the beneficial vitamins and enzymes which help prevent allergies and asthma, and thus pro-raw milk parents are evangelical about serving raw milk to their children. That may be true, but there is very little data supporting these immune-boosting claims. There is a growing body of data that documents serious outbreaks of nasty pathogens--E.Coli OH:0157, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria-- that have leached into our soil, taking up residence in the dairy cow's gut, and kids are bearing the brunt of these food-borne illnesses. As a doctor, I fear that we will have a major outbreak around here, so I advise my pregnant patients not to consume raw dairy products, and not to feed them to their children.
But I love the flavor of raw milk, its creamy mouth-feel, and pungent whiff-of-the-farm aroma, so I'll trek over to Idaho with my returnable glass jar, feeling like a food-obssessed criminal, and transport the contraband across the state line. I heat treat the milk before serving it to my kids since I cannot justify exposing them to potentially contaminated food. Heating raw milk to 145ºF for 30 minutes or 161ºF for 15 seconds will destroy pathogens; Almond Steamer anyone? The ultra-fresh, flavorful milk is ideal for making ricotta cheese, yogurt and fresh mozzarella that is better than any product I can buy in the store.