The Raw Truth: What Denverites Should Know About Milk Safety

Milk does a body good - but only when it's handled safely. Recent pop-ups in Denver are gaining attention for the ultimate farm to table experience- serving raw milk directly from cow to cup. While raw milk may seem trendy, but it can carry harmful germs that can cause serious illness.

Raw milk is milk that has not gone through pasteurization, a heating process that kills harmful germs before it passes from animal to human. Pasteurization has been used for more than a century and has greatly reduced illnesses linked to contaminated milk. While farms may follow safe practices, raw milk can still carry dangerous bacteria that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. The good news? Pasteurized milk provides the same nutritional benefits without the added risk.

Drinking raw milk or eating products made from raw milk can expose people to germs like E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, and Brucella. These germs can cause food poisoning and, in some cases, severe illness.

Campylobacter bacteria are one of the most common causes of bacterial diarrheal illness in the United States. People most often become infected by eating raw or undercooked poultry, but infection can also happen through contaminated foods, untreated water, raw milk, or contact with infected animals.

Common symptoms of foodborne illness include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. In rare cases, complications can lead to kidney failure, paralysis, stroke, or death.

Certain groups are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill, including:

• Children younger than 5
• Adults older than 65
• Pregnant women
• People with weakened immune systems

Each year, about 1 in 6 Americans get sick from contaminated food. Denver is home to more than 4,000 food businesses, including restaurants, bars, bakeries, dairies, grocery stores, convenience stores, stadium vendors, and mobile food operations. The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment's Food Safety Program works year-round to help reduce foodborne illness through inspections, education, complaint investigations, and enforcement of food safety regulations.

Food safety at home also matters. Keep perishable foods refrigerated at 40°F or colder and avoid leaving food out for more than two hours - or one hour during hot weather. Always cook poultry thoroughly, avoid cross contamination in the kitchen, and throw away expired or spoiled food. When in doubt, throw it out.

Denverites can stay one step ahead of foodborne illness by choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products-and not letting raw labels "curdle" their good judgment. A quick label check goes a long way in making sure you're getting all the nutrition, without the unwanted, risky germs that can come with raw milk.