This is in response to “Out to Pasteur; Raw-dairy co-op rejects conventional milk” (Q, Oct. 8). I was surprised to see the article. As a registered dietitian with more than 15 years experience in nutrition and health, I want to emphasize the author’s point that public health officials recommend avoiding raw milk and only drinking milk that has been pasteurized. The dairy industry, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration recommend that no one consume unpasteurized (raw) milk. Since its introduction more than a century ago, pasteurization has been recognized around the world as an essential tool for ensuring that milk and dairy products are unquestionably safe. Pasteurization is a simple, effective method to kill harmful pathogens without affecting the taste or nutritional value of milk.
