Health Law

Pennsylvania Department of Health Views Raw Milk As "Inherently Unsafe"

By Marler Clark

We've been wondering if we'd ever hear anything from the public health side of Pennsylvania government.   The state or more specifically its Ag department issues licenses to dairy farms that want to sell raw milk.
Pennsylvania tests raw milk and when those tests show the raw milk has gone bad, it does issue warnings and recalls.
Dr. Stephen Ostroff, Bureau of Epidemiology Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, has stepped up to the plate with a guest editorial in the Lebanon Daily News.  Under the headline: Raw milk raw deal for many consumers,  Dr. Ostroff calls raw milk "inherently unsafe."
Here's some more of what Dr. Ostroff has to say:

While the permitting process unquestionably enhances the safety margin of raw milk, and we strongly endorse this program, it is not a substitute for milk pasteurization.

Milk pasteurization is one of society’s greatest public-health achievements. Since its widespread adoption in the 1930s, it has prevented millions of needless illnesses and saved countless lives.

Despite that, some advocates are promoting raw milk in the mistaken belief that it is healthier or more nutritious. The scientific evidence simply does not support this claim.

All of Ostroff's comments can be found here.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on May 31, 2008 (boomark / email).