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Is raw milk safe to drink?

Is raw milk safe to drink?

A calf thrives suckling on its mother's manure-covered teat.    Raw milk inherently contains protective systems that can reduce or eliminate populations of pathogenic bacteria.

Yes, raw milk is safe under the following conditions:

• From pasture-fed cows (not CAFOs).  Under extreme, unhygienic conditions in confined animal farming operations, the multiple anti-microbial components of raw milk may be overwhelmed.

• Full fat

• Cows free of TB and undulant fever

• Produced under sanitary conditions

• Immediately placed in cold storage

• Regularly tested for somatic cell count and pathogens

Fivefold Protective System in Raw Milk

1. Raw milk kills pathogens in milk

2. Stimulates the Immune system.

3. Builds healthy gut wall.

4. Prevents absorption of pathogens and toxins in the gut.

5. Ensures assimilation of all the nutrients.

In 1938, researchers noted that heating milk supports the growth of harmful bacteria by inactivating factors that inhibit bacterial growth.

Reference

H. Dold, E.Wizaman, C. Kleiner, Antiseptic in Milk, The Drug and Cosmetic Industry , July 1938:43:1.-109

Specific Built-In Protective Systems in Raw Milk

Lactoperoxidase

Uses small amounts of H2O2 and free radicals to seek out and destroy bad bacteria1

Found in all mammalian secretions.    Breast milk, tears, saliva, etc.1,2

Levels are 10 times higher in goat milk than in breast milk3

Other countries are looking into using lactoperoxidase instead of pasteurization.    Both to ensure safety of commercial milk as well as for preserving other foods1,2,4,5

1. Indian J Exp Biology, 1998;36: 808-810.

2. British J Nutrition, 2000;84(Suppl. 1.): S19-S25.

3. J Dairy Sci, 1991;74:783-787.

4. Life Sciences, 2000;66(25):2433-2439.

5. Trends in Food Science & Technology 16 (2005) 137-154

Lactoferrin

Plentiful in raw milk.   Effectiveness greatly reduced by pasteurization1

Steals iron away from pathogens.   Carries it through the gut wall into the blood stream;

Has anti-inflammatory properties;

Stimulates the immune system1

Kills wide range of pathogens including viruses.    However, it does not kill beneficial bacteria.2

•  Treatment with lactoferrin significantly reduced the burden of tuberculosis organisms - In a study involving mice bred to be susceptible to tuberculosis, 3

•   Mice injected with Candida albicans, another iron-loving organism, had increased survival time when treated with lactoferrin.4

Believed to cut visceral fat levels by as much as 40%.5

Many other health benefits.   Sold as a supplement!

FDA approved for use in anti-microbial spray.    To combat E. coli O157:H7 contamination in meat industry!6

1. British J Nutrition, 2000;84(Suppl. 1):S11-S17; JACN 2001 20(5):389S-395S.

2. Zimecki and Kruzel. J Exp Ther Oncol. 2007;6(2):89-106; International Dairy Journal 2006 16:1252-1261

3. J Experimental Med, 2002 DEC 02;196(11):1507-1513.

4. Infection and Immunity, 2001 JUN;69(6):3883-3890.

5. MSN-Mainichi Daily News, 2007 APR 11.

6. FDA News, August 22, 2004

Blood Components

Leukocytes.    Eat all foreign bacteria, yeast and molds (phagocytosis). Destroyed at 56C and by pumping milk. Produce H2O2to activate the lacto-peroxidase system. Produce anaerobic CO2 that blocks all aerobic microbes. Basis of immunity.

B-lymphocytes.   Kill foreign bacteria; call in other parts of the immune system1,2

Macrophages.   Engulf foreign proteins and bacteria2

Neutrophils.   Kill infected cells; mobilize other parts of the immune system1

T-lymphocytes.   Multiply if bad bacteria are present; produce immune-strengthening compounds1

Immunoglobulins (IgM, IgA, IgG1, IgG2).   Transfer of immunity from cow to calf/person in milk and especially colostrum; provides "passive immunization"2

Antibodies.    Bind to foreign microbes and prevent them from migrating outside the gut; initiate immune response.

1. Scientific American, December 1995.

2. British J of Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10, S75-S80, S81-S89, S135-136.

Fats and Carbohydrates

Polysaccharides.    Encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut; protect the gut wall

Oligosaccharides.   Protect other components from being destroyed by stomach acids and enzymes; bind to bacteria and prevent them from attaching to the gut lining; other functions just being discovered.1,2

Medium-Chain Fatty Acids.    Disrupt cell walls of bad bacteria; levels so high in goat milk that the test for the presence of antibiotics had to be changed; may reduce intestinal injury and protect the liver.3

Phospholipids and Spingolipids.   Bind to intestinal cells, prevent absorption of pathogens and toxins.4 Spingolipids are important components in cell membranes, protect cells against toxins, support digestion and protect against cancer.

1. British J Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10.

2. Scientific American, December 1995.

3. International Dairy Journal 2006 16:1374-1382 and 1362-1373

4. Spingolipids and Cancer, scitopics.com; Koopman, J S, et al, AJPH, 1984, 74:12:1371-1373

Other Bioactive Components

Enzymes.   e.g. Complement & Lysozyme—Disrupt bacterial cell walls. Complement destroyed at 56C; Lysozyme at 90C.1,2

Hormones & Growth Factors.   Stimulate maturation of gut cells; prevent "leaky" gut.2

Mucins.   Adhere to bacteria and viruses, preventing those organisms from attaching to the mucosa and causing disease.1,2

Fibronectin.   Increases anti-microbial activity of macrophages and helps to repair damaged tissues.1

Glycomacropeptide.     Inhibits bacterial/viral adhesion, suppresses gastric secretion, and promotes bifido-bacterial growth; supports immune system. 3

Beneficial Bacteria.   Lactobacilli and bifidus bacteria, crowd out bad bacteria, product lactic acid that kills bad bacteria.

Bifidus Factor.    Promotes growth of Lactobacillus bifidus, a helpful bacteria in a baby'sgut, which helps crowd out dangerous germs4,5

B12 Binding Protein.  Reduces Vitamin B12 in the colon, which harmful bacteria need for growth4

Lactoglobulins.    Carry vitamins A and D and possibly other nutrients.5

1. British J Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10.

2. Scientific American, December 1995.

3. British J Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10, S39-S46

4. Scientific American, December 1995.

5. FEBS Journal 2009 276:2251-2265.


DISCLAIMER: The content on this website is intended for informational, and educational purposes only and not as a substitute for the medical advice, treatment or diagnosis of a licensed health professional. The author of this website is a researcher, not a health professional, and shall in no event be held liable to any party for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, punitive or other damages arising from any use of the content of this website. Any references to health benefits of specifically named products on this site are this website author's sole opinion and are not approved or supported by their manufacturers or distributors.
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