THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER – Milk that is unpasteurized, or raw, remains controversial in Pennsylvania and beyond.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration says raw milk “can harbor dangerous germs that can pose serious health risks.” The Centers for Disease Control, citing the appearance of bird flu in the United States, also recommends against drinking unpasteurized milk.
“Anyone, even healthy adults, can get sick from drinking raw milk,” the CDC warns on a recently updated raw milk web page.
Raw milk devotees and detractors go back and forth on TikTok, commenting on one another’s videos about the merits of pasteurization, which is the process of heating milk to destroy potentially harmful microbes.
“There is no evidence at all to suggest that raw milk is more beneficial to you than pasteurized is. One of them is pasteurized and the other one can kill you,” a TikTok user named @microbiologywes said in a video.
115 raw milk farms
Across the U.S., however, more states are discussing loosening restrictions on raw milk production or sales. Only three states have outright bans on all raw milk products.
In Pennsylvania, where raw milk sales require a license and testing, State Rep. Dave Zimmerman (R., Lancaster/Berks) introduced a bill recently aimed at letting farmers sell additional raw milk products beyond milk and cheese, including yogurt and ice cream.
“There’s a huge movement throughout our nation, especially among younger generations, who want more natural, organic products with less processing and chemicals,” Zimmerman said. “What I want is to keep farmers in business, especially small dairies, by letting them sell more raw products.”
Even in New Jersey, where it’s only legal to use raw milk in pet food (a lucrative market), agriculture leaders have recently expressed an openness to discussing raw milk for human consumption.
“I believe you can test and monitor enough to bring a safe product to market,” Ed Wengryn, the state’s secretary of agriculture, said during a May 7 budget hearing.
Consumers, he said, are free to purchase and eat other raw foods, including seafood and vegetables …
