Pssp! Want Some Illicit Unpasteurized Milk?

 

With Summer coming, you may be planning to visit the countryside, stopping to purchase veggies and farm eggs. How about some really cool unpasteurized milk? It tastes great and is really better for you, right?!

Sorry, that's a big wrong. Here's what may be lurking in that farm milk we're seeing touted so much lately:

• Salmonella:

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  A common bacteria that can cause food poisoning, leading to symptoms like fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. 
• E. coli:

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  Certain strains of E. coli can cause severe illness, including bloody diarrhea and kidney failure. 
• Listeria:

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  This bacteria can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, and even death in pregnant women. 
• Campylobacter:

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  Another bacteria that can cause food poisoning, leading to symptoms like fever, diarrhea, and stomach pain. 
• Cryptosporidium:

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  A parasite that can cause cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal illness, particularly in children and individuals with weakened immune systems. 
• Brucella:

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  A bacteria that can cause brucellosis, a systemic infection that can affect multiple organs. 
• H5N1 avian influenza (Bird Flu):

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  This virus has been found in raw milk from infected cows. 

Sources of Contamination:

• Mastitis:

  An infection of the cow's udder can introduce bacteria directly into the milk. 
• Fecal Contamination:

  Milk can become contaminated with bacteria from manure or other fecal material during or after milking. 
• Systemic Infection:

  If a cow has a systemic infection (infection in the bloodstream), bacteria can be passed into the milk