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Apr 10th, 2006 - 12:14:17 |
Q
"My neighbors have a dairy cow and have been drinking her milk for years without a problem. But I've read that unpasteurized milk is unsafe. What do you think?"
A
Zoltan Rona, MD, MSc: There are many reasons why people still drink raw, unpasteurized milk. Pasteurization destroys dozens of valuable enzymes such as lactase, required for the breakdown of lactose (milk sugar). Other enzymes destroyed are galactase for assimilation of galactose (a simple sugar found in lactose) and phosphatase for absorption of calcium. Without these enzymes, milk becomes very difficult to digest, causing bloating, gas, constipation and, in severe cases, chronic diarrhea in susceptible individuals. Also, there is growing evidence that the form of calcium in standard grocery store milk is poorly absorbed.
Pasteurized, commercially available milk has numerous other drawbacks, including the fact that it can contain hormones, antibiotics and other drugs, but I still believe it is much safer than the unpasteurized variety. Risk of infection for those who drink unpasteurized milk is high. Organisms harboured by raw milk that are most often cited as causing gastroenteritis (stomach flu or worse) include Helicobacter pylon, salmonella, staphylococci, hemolytic E. coli and even rabies. Symptoms of illnesses caused by these bugs can range anywhere from diarrhea, rectal bleeding and stomach cramps to ulcers, colitis, coma and death.
These risks of life-threatening infections are often pooh-poohed by advocates of raw milk, who are known to say, "I've been drinking raw milk my whole life and I've never been sick from it." Such people who never develop symptoms are only that way because repeated exposure to micro-organisms can lead to a certain level of immunity. It is very much like when one goes to Mexico, drinks the water and gets severe diarrhea, while the local population tolerates the same water without any symptoms. Although people who drink unpasteurized milk may have built up a tolerance for potentially lethal bugs, there is no guarantee the same will hold true for you. Frequent exposure to raw, unpasteurized milk may eventually provide a level of protection, but no one's immune system can protect against all micro-organisms possibly found in raw milk. People with weaker immune systems, such as children and the elderly, are particularly at risk to become severely ill or even die as a result of consuming the stuff.
WWW.ALIVE.COM
Unknown, (2003, July). Ask our experts. Alive, 26-27.
File: A03JulyP26
Article: Ask Our Experts
Author:unknown
Pages: 26-27
Date: July 2003
Source: Alive Magazine
Publisher: Alive Publishing Group Inc.
Raw Milk: How Safe Is It?
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