What You Need To Know About The Raw Milk Recall

Some people elect to skip the dairy aisle at the local grocer, and instead pick up raw, or unpasteurized milk at the local farm or natural foods retailer. The people who do this, according to Healthline, say it's a more natural option and better for consumers with lactose intolerance, allergies, asthma, and so on. The outlet also reports that raw milk proponents claim pasteurization isn't as necessary as it used to be in the early 1900s, when more than 65,000 people died of cow tuberculosis after being exposed through untreated milk.

But cow tuberculosis isn't the only thing pasteurization eliminates. The process, which involves dairy products being heated to a specific temperature, kills a variety of pathogens, says the International Dairy Foods Association. The amount of time the product must remain heated depends on a few specifics, like fat content and presence of sweeteners. Some of the most common organisms killed by pasteurization include ones that can cause typhoid fever, diphtheria, brucellosis, and Q fever, per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Unfortunately for people who purchase certain brands of raw milk, another sinister culprit is at play, per a recent recall.

Raw milk consumers in New York who purchase two types of raw milk should be on high alert following recent product recalls.

First, Thomas Miller DBA Miller Dairy Farm raw milk was found to contain the highly dangerous bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. The discovery was made on April 21 during a routine inspection, when a sample of the New York farm's raw milk tested positive for Listeria, says BGR. The initial test was later confirmed in a laboratory setting, as well.

On May 5, it was discovered that Hawthorne Valley Association raw milk products also contained Listeria. Neither company is authorized to peddle raw milk again until they are deemed safe and Listeria-free. Per the FDA, although most people can recover from listeriosis, vulnerable groups are at risk of serious illness or even death. Pregnant people in particular who consume unpasteurized dairy products (including raw milk cheese) are at elevated risk of serious illness, which could result in miscarriage or death of the child.

Anyone who has the affected dairy product from either farm should dispose of the product immediately, then call the farm directly to discuss a refund.