Raw milk v pasteurised milk: What’s the difference and health risks?
Raw milk or pasteurised milk: what’s the difference, and why does it matter?
Raw milk has not been heated or treated to remove germs, according to the Ministry for Primary Industries. Pasteurised milk, by contrast, is heated to a specified temperature – such as 73C for 15 seconds – to destroy what is deemed harmful microbes.
In New Zealand, selling unpasteurised milk is legal but tightly regulated by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The Raw Milk for Sale to Consumers Regulations 2015 and the associated Regulated Control Scheme set strict requirements intended to manage public health risks.
Raw milk cannot be bought from supermarkets. It is sold directly by registered suppliers, including through dedicated vending machines on farms.
A recent Coast & Country News article profiled Welcome Bay couple Loren and Michaela Gibbs, who are almost self-sufficient on their farm and supply local customers with produce through their farm shop.
Raw milk is one of those products. It is produced under a strict process, with the farm making about 1000 litres a week. The milk forms the backbone of the business.
The story prompted online debate about the safety of raw milk. Raw milk can pose a health risk if regulations and food-safety guidelines are not followed. Reputable suppliers, however, must follow strict requirements before selling it from their farms.
Why not just buy pasteurised milk?
Supermarket milk is generally considered safe to drink because of the heat treatment it undergoes. Buying it is straightforward: pick it up, take it home and drink it within the recommended timeframe.
People who choose raw milk can take a similarly careful approach. That means doing their research, buying from a reputable registered supplier, transporting and storing the milk correctly, and consuming it within the advised period.
The key difference is that raw milk has not undergone pasteurisation, so consumers need to understand the potential risks and follow food-safety advice.
What should consumers do?
Anyone interested in raw milk should buy it from a reputable registered farm supplier and follow the handling, storage and consumption instructions. Those who prefer pasteurised milk can continue to buy it from a supermarket or other retailer.
Either way, the choice should be informed by an understanding of how each product is treated and the food-safety guidance that applies.