Surprising New Poll of Public Perception of Raw Milk

A new poll on public perception of raw milk was recently published by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

The results were quite surprising.

If you are an avid reader of our Make Food Safe blog, you have likely read a post or two about the risks associated with consuming raw (unpasteurized) dairy products. We have covered countless outbreaks and recalls of contaminated raw dairy products over the years. So some of these responses may come as a shock to you.

But what does the general public think about the topic?

Public Perception of Raw Milk Safety

When compared to pasteurized milk, a majority of U.S. adults (56%) indicated that raw milk (from cows, sheep, or goats) is less safe.

But that leaves the remaining 44% of the adult population.

According to the poll, 25% of adult respondents are not sure. Those believing that raw milk is “just as safe to drink” made up 12%. Leaving 6% believing that raw milk is “safer to drink.”

When the question was posed another way, including the increased risk of foodborne illness, nearly a third (32%) considered raw milk as a risk. Though 14% indicated that raw milk status has no effect of risk of foodborne illness. Most people (51%) were not sure.

When it comes to raw milk and children, a significant 66% of respondents indicated that they did not know that children were more vulnerable than adults to getting sick from bacteria and viruses from raw milk.

Public Perception of Raw Milk and Bird Flu

What about the new risk? Bird flu?

The Science

With at least 70 confirmed U.S. cases of bird flu and at least one death reported, bird flu and bird flu found in raw milk is a hot topic.

Bird flu has infected nearly a thousand dairy cows across the country. With recent research discovering that mice can be infected with bird flu by drinking raw milk, it has researchers wondering if the same can be true for humans consuming bird flu-contaminated raw milk.

Scientists do not yet know that answer. Likely because human studies have not made it through the approval process. We infer a lot of human information from animal tests subjects that react similarly to humans. But the link has not yet been confirmed in a human subject.

Enough information has been discovered for the National Institutes of Health to suggest “that drinking raw milk may pose a risk of transmission to people.”

But what does the public think?

The Poll

According to the poll, most U.S. adults do not know that bird flu has been detected in only raw milk and that it has not been detected in pasteurized milk.

Just 17% indicate they have heard this. A mere 2% say that it has only been found in pasteurized milk and 7% indicate that it has been found in both. Another 7% say that it has been found in neither. A whopping 68% are not sure.

How about your chances of getting bird flu from raw milk?

When it comes to increased chances of getting bird flu, 22% of respondents indicated raw milk is a factor. This is a 7% increase from the same poll from last Summer. Nearly a quarter (22%) indicated that drinking raw milk has no impact on whether or not you will get bird flu. Over half (53%) are just not sure.

What about health claims?

Public Perception of Raw Milk and Health Claims

A lot of misinformation circulates the web as to whether raw milk has more health benefits than pasteurized milk.

When asked, an even 28% indicated that they believed raw milk has more nutrients than pasteurized milk with 28% saying it was the same. But 40% were not sure.

Let’s look at the specific health claims the poll touched on.

Osteoporosis (Bone Thinning)

Osteoporosis is often associated with reduced calcium. Most people indicated that they did not know if pasteurized milk was “about as effective” as raw milk at preventing osteoporosis. Though 26% believe that raw milk is “about as effective” and 10% believe that raw milk is more effective.

Lactose Intolerance

Many respondents (40%) believe that consuming raw milk does not cure lactose intolerance. Though 10% do believe it cures lactose intolerance. The remaining 50% were not sure.

This misinformation could be related to the fact that many raw milk producers breed A2A2 genetic cows. Milk from cows with these genes has shown improvements in dairy tolerances in those who are lactose intolerant or sensitive. This milk is also available in many grocery stores in pasteurized form.

Asthma

A small 7% indicate that consuming raw milk reduces the symptoms of asthma. While 39% believe that it is not true, 54% are still not sure.

According to the FDA, raw milk does not cure or treat asthma.

Immune System

Does consuming raw milk have an impact on enhancing the human immune system. According to the poll 23% of respondents think so. Only 30% of respondents indicated that this was false and 47% were not sure.

According to the FDA, raw milk “is not an immune system building food and is particularly unsafe for children.”

Speaking of children, the poll specifically asked respondents to consider this group’s vulnerability to illness.

Public Perception of Raw Milk and Children’s Vulnerability to Sickness

The public perception of raw milk’s contribution to children’s vulnerability to sickness is spread out. Around a third (35%) indicated that children are typically more vulnerable than adults when it comes to germs that may be in raw milk. While 16% indicated that they were “about as vulnerable,” 5% believe children are less vulnerable. Many (45%) were not sure.

What is Pasteurization?

Just in case you need a refresher. Pasteurization is a widely used process dating back to 1864, where the procedure’s namesake inventor, Louis Pasteur discovered a way to treat beverages. The process is used to kill harmful microorganisms that are responsible for diseases such as listeriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, Q fever, and brucellosis.

The original purpose was to help increase the shelf life of things like beer, wine, and other beverages. You know. The essentials in the late 1800’s.

However, it is most commonly associated with milk. As a result, the number of milk-related outbreaks has dropped from the 25% of annual outbreaks prior to mainstream pasteurization to only 1% now. It is important to note that of that 1%, 70% of those outbreaks were linked to raw milk.

Pasteurization involves heating the liquid to a minimum temperature of 145 °F for at least 30 minutes. Other methods have developed to achieve this same result faster.

A modern procedure to do this is known as continuous flow pasteurization and involves heating at a High-Temperature, Short Time (HSTS) parameter. This method increases the temperature to 161 °F, but shortens the required time to just 15 seconds.

Want to Learn More?

If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “Surprising New Poll on Public Perception of Raw Milk,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!

By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)