Commusings: The Raw Truth About Raw Milk

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Dear Commune Community,

Lately, I have been delving into specific topics of interest here in Commusings and on the podcast. I recently recorded an episode on Why Humans Cry and received such a positive response that I decided to embark on a similar excavation of a completely different subject: raw milk.

Robert Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s choice for Health and Human Services Secretary, likes his milk raw and has criticized the Food and Drug Administration over its “aggressive suppression” of raw milk, which he believes “advances human health.”

At the same time, California public health officials have placed the celebrated raw milk purveyor, Raw Farm, under temporary quarantine and suspended any new distribution of its raw dairy products. This action is in response to multiple detections of bird flu virus in the company’s dairy supply.

So … Is raw milk nature’s perfect food or a risky gamble with your health?

Full disclosure: When our family lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Schuyler operated a small raw milk co-op out of our apartment. Every Saturday morning, an unmarked white van with Pennsylvania plates would pull up to the back entrance of our building, its payload stocked with illicit raw dairy – milk, cheeses, yogurts, and kefirs.

The van was driven by a doleful fellow named Paul. His lugubriousness was counterbalanced by two extremely energetic Amish boys who popped out of the cargo area like jacks-in-a-box. These strapping lads, presumably enjoying their Rumspringa, helped Schuyler, the girls, and me unload the curated boxes of raw dairy and deposit them in the vestibule outside our apartment.

The Amish maintain their own dairy herds, producing milk for personal consumption, for their close-knit communities, and, in this case, for distribution to Schuyler’s oddball clientele.

The Amish avoid industrialized farming and modern machinery and are famous for their meticulous and humane farming practices. They view pasteurization as unnecessary or even detrimental, as it alters the milk's original state. I’ll unpack the pros and cons in a minute.

Once our apartment was stacked with boxes, the assorted patrons trickled in. They were an equal amalgam of progressive hipsters and Hasidic Jews. Raw milk adoption precipitated a unique and strange horse-shoeing of cultures – as tattooed indie-rockers and orthodox men wearing fur hats and prayer shawls sorted through cardboard boxes looking for their cache of raw kefir.

Schuyler managed this underground bazaar for about six years and reared our girls on a diet of raw Amish dairy.

I provide this preamble for transparency. Schuyler was raised a hippie and she’s been largely successful at foisting her anti-establishment ways onto my conventional upbringing. I grew up with good old 2% pasteurized, homogenized milk delivered to our door by a milkman. That said, this excavation of the virtues and shortcomings of raw milk is relatively unbiased given that now I don’t drink milk.

OK, let’s start with the basics: Raw milk is milk that comes straight from the udders of animals like cows, goats, or sheep and has not been subjected to the processes of pasteurization or homogenization. Unlike processed milk, raw milk contains its original enzymes, beneficial bacteria, and fats.

Raw milk wasn’t always controversial. In fact, before the 19th century, it was simply ‘milk.’ Just like for 200,000 years organic food was just “food.” But this began to change with the Industrial Revolution.

First, let’s talk about pasteurization. This process is named after Louis Pasteur, the French scientist who developed it in the 1860s. Pasteurization involves heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time—usually around 161°F (72°C) for 15 seconds in the case of high-temperature, short-time pasteurization. This kills off harmful bacteria while extending the milk’s shelf life.

Then there’s homogenization, which was introduced in the early 20th century. Homogenization doesn’t kill bacteria but instead prevents the cream from separating by forcing milk through small nozzles under high pressure. This breaks down fat globules into smaller, uniform sizes, creating the smooth, consistent milk we see in grocery stores.

Today raw, non-homogenized milk constitutes less than 1% of total milk sales in the United States. So why did these processes become widespread?

With regards to pasteurization, it’s primarily about safety.

Pasteurization kills harmful bacteria including E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and Brucella. These pathogens can cause severe illness, with symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. In some cases, these illnesses can lead to complications such as kidney failure (from E. coli infections) and meningitis (from Listeria).

Back in the 19th and early 20th centuries, raw milk was a significant source of these foodborne illnesses, especially in urban areas where dairy hygiene standards were inconsistent. Pasteurization drastically reduced outbreaks of diseases like tuberculosis, brucellosis, and typhoid fever, making milk safer for mass consumption.

Before pasteurization, for example, raw milk sometimes contained Mycobacterium bovis, a bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB) and can be transmitted to humans through unpasteurized milk. In 2022, an estimated 1.6 million deaths were caused by TB worldwide. Without treatment, the death rate for active TB is very high, estimated at 40% to 60%. While tuberculosis is still widespread, raw milk plays a very minor role in its transmission. The point is TB is no joke.

According to the CDC, between 1993 and 2012, raw milk accounted for 127 outbreaks in the U.S., leading to nearly 2,000 illnesses (of various types) and over 140 hospitalizations. That’s about 7 hospitalizations per year, on average. A disproportionate number of these outbreaks affected children under 5 years old, whose immune systems are still developing and are thus more susceptible.

The safety and quality of raw milk depend heavily on the hygiene practices of the farm. Unlike pasteurized milk, which undergoes consistent processing to kill pathogens, raw milk’s microbial content can vary widely. And even the cleanest farms cannot guarantee pathogen-free raw milk, as contamination can happen during milking, handling, or storage.

Now let’s take a look at homogenization: This process is more about convenience and aesthetics. Maybe you’ve gotten milk from a farm or bought Straus Family non-homogenized milk and you notice there is a thick, creamy layer on top. This occurs because the cream (the milk fat) is less dense than the rest of the milk and forms a distinct layer when left undisturbed.

Homogenized milk doesn’t separate, which is more visually appealing to some people and it eliminates the need to shake the bottle before drinking.

Now, let’s look at the other side. Critics of pasteurization and homogenization argue that these processes come with significant downsides.

While pasteurization kills harmful bacteria, it also destroys beneficial ones, like Lactobacillus acidophilus, which can support gut health. It also wipes out Lactobacillus casei, which helps regulate the digestive system and supports the immune response, and Enterococcus faecium which is known to improve gut barrier function and support the immune system. Pasteurization also denatures some enzymes, such as lipase, which helps digest fats. This makes milk harder to digest for some people.

Raw milk also contains immunoglobulins and lactoferrin, which may support immune function by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. It also contains lysozymes — enzymes that can help break down bacterial cell walls, further contributing to immune support.

As for homogenization, there is some concern about potential health risks. Some studies have hypothesized that the small fat globules created during homogenization might allow certain proteins, like xanthine oxidase, to enter the bloodstream and contribute to heart disease. However, this theory remains debated and inconclusive.

Many raw milk advocates also argue that processed milk simply doesn’t taste as good or “feel” as nourishing because it’s been stripped of its natural complexity.

There are some other dimensions of the great raw milk debate. Conventional pasteurized milk is almost always fortified with Vitamin D. Raw milk is not. Is this important?

This all started in the early 20th century because of rickets, a disease caused by Vitamin D deficiency. Rickets, which is associated with weak and soft bones, was a widespread problem, particularly in industrialized cities where children spent less time in the sun. To combat this, the U.S. began fortifying milk with Vitamin D in the 1930s. Milk was already widely consumed and contained calcium, which works synergistically with Vitamin D to promote strong bones. Adding Vitamin D to milk was an easy and effective way to address a major public health concern.

Of course, there are other ways of getting Vitamin D, both through supplementation and getting a safe amount of UVB rays that will stimulate endogenous production. That said, if you’re deficient in Vitamin D, one way you can address it is by drinking fortified milk. And fortified milk is not going to be raw.

Another nuance centers around cultured dairy, which are dairy products that have been fermented with beneficial bacteria. These bacteria convert lactose (the natural sugar in milk) into lactic acid, giving the dairy a tangy flavor and thicker texture. Cultured dairy products – such as yogurt, buttermilk, and kefir – are rich in probiotics, enzymes, and other nutrients.

Cultured dairy products can be made from pasteurized milk. So, if you have concerns about the safety of raw dairy products but still want the beneficial bacteria, then cultured dairy is a decent compromise.

Lastly, it is important to look at sourcing. Raw milk is often sourced from small, local farms that prioritize pasture-raised animals, which may result in milk with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), both considered anti-inflammatory. These farms may also emphasize organic or regenerative agriculture, which can be better for the environment and animal welfare.

Conversely, the overwhelming majority of cows raised for milking live in concentrated animal feeding operations (or CAFOs).

You really don’t want to drink raw milk from industrially raised animals. Industrial farming practices involve overcrowding and poor hygiene, which lead to a proliferation of harmful bacteria (Salmonella, E. coli, Mycobacterium bovis, etc…). These pathogens can contaminate milk during collection or processing.

Industrial farms also frequently use antibiotics to prevent disease in crowded or unsanitary conditions. This overuse can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the animals, which, if transmitted through raw milk, can cause antibiotic-resistant illness in humans.

Cows in industrial systems are often fed unnatural diets, such as grain or silage, rather than their natural diet of grass. This alters the composition of the milk, reducing beneficial fats and other nutrients and increasing the likelihood of illnesses that contribute to milk contamination.

This is all to say that if you want to drink raw milk and other raw dairy products, you should find a local, regenerative farm with impeccable standards — knowing that you’re still going to run a small risk of some bacterial contamination.

I’ll end with this: Life is an endless series of risk-benefit analyses and raw milk is no exception. And, as with all analyses, the more educated you are the better choice you’re going to make. I hope this Commusings helped shed some light on the matter.

In love, include me,
Jeff

P.S. What other topics should I dig into? Feel free to reach out to me directly anytime at [email protected] or find me on Instagram @jeffkrasno.