farm_pasteurisation4.pdf

health risks

Abbey Court

Lower Abbey Street

Dublin 1

Advice Line: 1890 33 66 77

Tel: (01) 817 1300

Fax: (01) 817 1301

Website: www.fsai.ie

from unpasteurised milk

HEALTH RISKS FROM

UNPASTEURISED MILK

How does milk become contaminated?

With healthy animals, the milk inside the udder has

very few germs. However, if animals have diseases

such as mastitis or TB, pathogens can be present in

the milk even inside the udder. Also, even healthy

animals may carry and therefore, excrete pathogens.

During milking there is the possibility of

contamination of the milk from the animal herself

(surfaces of teats, hairs, urine and faeces etc.) and

from unclean milking equipment or the milking

environment.

Is unpasteurised milk safe to drink?

No.

By consuming unpasteurised milk you

are placing yourself at an unnecessary

risk of serious illness. Unpasteurised

milk can contain disease causing

bacteria (pathogens).

Two major pathogens that may be found

in milk include E. coli O157:H7 and

Campylobacter.

E. coli O157:H7 - This can cause bloody diarrhoea

and may result in kidney failure or even death. The

most frightening aspect is that even tiny numbers of

these bacteria can cause serious illness. Whilst there

is limited information for Irish livestock, studies

have shown up to 20% of cattle and sheep to be

excreting this pathogen. Studies in the UK have

shown that 15-44% of cattle herds were positive for

this pathogen.

Who is at risk from unpasteurised milk?

Many dairy farm families and their visitors still drink

raw milk. This risk can be eliminated either by

purchasing pasteurised milk or by using a small home

pasteuriser. Home pasteurisers can be bought for

approximately ¤ 450 (April 2007) and thousands of

these have been sold in the past few years.

Pasteurisation makes milk safer

Pasteurisation kills or inactivates milk pathogens

including E. coli O157, Campylobacter etc. It involves

heating the milk to a high temperature for a short time

(72°C for 15 seconds). Rapid cooling after

pasteurisation is important. Pasteurisation has little

effect on the flavour or nutritional value of the milk.

Campylobacter - This can cause acute

gastroenteritis with diarrhoea and/or vomiting. In

most cases, the illness is self limiting, but it may be

severe and life-threatening in susceptible people

including young children, pregnant women, the

elderly and the sick.

Other diseases - that one could contract from

the consumption of raw milk include

Tuberculosis, Salmonellosis and Brucellosis. In

England and Wales, where some unpasteurised

milk is still sold, 16 outbreaks of infectious

diseases associated with unpasteurised milk

were reported from 1992 to 2001.

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