Is pasteurized milk safer than raw milk?
Many people believe that pasteurized milk is “sterilized” and therefore can’t grow harmful bacteria. This is NOT TRUE. Pasteurization is not even intended to kill all disease-causing micro-organisms in the milk. Instead, it aims to reduce the number of viable pathogens so they are unlikely to cause disease if the milk is refrigerated and consumed before its expiration date.[1] Unfortunately for pasteurized milk consumers, once their milk is opened, it is actually more susceptible to growing harmful bacteria than raw milk. Look carefully at the label on ultra-pasteurized milk and it will warn you to “consume within 5-7 days of opening.” Why? NOT ALL BACTERIA IS BAD. In a misguided attempt to make milk “safe,” pasteurization actually kills milk’s built-in defense system: “Good” bacteria, that exist naturally in raw milk, that attack and kill harmful bacteria, should it start to develop.
