Raw milk drinkers on the horns of dilemma as food experts raise health fears

Standards agency begins risk assessment as sales of unpasteurised milk surge due to nutritional claims

CONCERNS have been raised over the growing popularity of raw milk, as consumers are lured to the unpasteurised drink by claims of health benefits.

The rise of raw milk has been attributed to the belief it contains higher nutrients and has been advocated by dietitians, including Liz Earle, the wellbeing author who lives on an organic farm in Wiltshire.

There are now 180 registered raw drinking milk producers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, compared with 114 two years ago.

However, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has begun a risk assessment into the safety of unpasteurised milk owing to health fears. It can cause life threatening illnesses such as campylobacter, Shiga toxin-producing E.coli, salmonella and listeria monocytogenes, and the FSA advises pregnant women, children, the elderly and those who are unwell or have chronic illness against drinking it.

A recent report by the FSA into raw milk found that three quarters of those surveyed had only begun drinking it in the past year. The milk is becoming easier to buy, as increasing numbers of farmers install vending machines selling it in bottles, having turned to selling milk themselves because of the decline in wholesale prices.

Louise and Jeremy Holmes, who installed a raw milk vending machine on Delph House Farm, in Denby Dale, West Yorks, two years ago, say it is popular with diet enthusiasts.

“Raw milk is sought after by cleaneating Paleo diet enthusiasts, fitness enthusiasts and people wishing to make real butter ghee, along with those of us who remember and want to enjoy good old green top milk,” they said. “We want to give our local community the opportunity to buy their milk from the cows they see grazing on their doorstep, as fresh as it can be.”

The FCA’s recent report said: “Those that are consuming it are relatively new consumers of RDM [raw milk]. They are consuming more regularly and they report an increase in consumption levels.

“Consumption appears to be driven by a belief that RDM has a higher nutritional value to conventional milks and although there is some awareness of the potential health/safety risks, these seem to be outweighed by the perceived nutritional benefits for those who are choosing to consume RDM.”

Last September, the FSA agreed to look into raw milk suppliers owing to an increase in illnesses surrounding it.

The assessment, which began this month, is due to report back in June. The National Farmers’ Union said the public could be confident there were stringent safety measures in place.