Dr. Marco describes raw milk as a “microbial zoo.” The soil, gut, and aerosol bacteria found in raw milk means that it is a product “that should not be considered probiotic. It has the wrong kind of bacteria, the kind that can make you sick, particularly children and people who are immunocompromised or are recovering from an illness.”
Dr. Wiedmann grew up drinking raw milk as a child, but does so no longer. “I would not let my kids drink raw milk or my friends or pregnant friends, elderly people, or people with weakened immune conditions,” he says. “There are too many risks, and the benefits are anecdotal at best. The risks are very clear, very well described, and ironclad with regards to the science.”
Labeling Ultrafiltered Milk in Cheeses
The U.S. FDA recently released guidance for industry that entails how it will exercise enforcement discretion on the use and labeling of fluid ultrafiltered milk (UF milk) and fluid ultrafiltered nonfat milk (UF nonfat milk) to make certain cheeses and related cheese products.
According to FDA, UF milk is milk that is mechanically filtered to concentrate large compounds, like proteins. In the process, smaller compounds, like lactose, are removed, along with water and mineral salts. The resulting protein concentrate is less expensive to ship than milk.
The agency is taking this action due to recent changes in some export markets that have caused the U.S. dairy industry to experience an oversupply and pricing challenges with domestically produced UF milk. This enforcement discretion is intended to mitigate the impact on U.S. companies producing UF milk while the FDA considers rulemaking concerning the issues about UF milk and UF nonfat milk in certain cheeses and cheese products.
The FDA is encouraging manufacturers of standardized cheeses and related cheese products to identify fluid UF milk and fluid UF nonfat milk when used as ingredients as “UF milk” and “UF nonfat milk” when feasible and appropriate. However, the FDA does not intend to take action against companies that manufacture standardized cheeses and related cheese products that contain fluid UF milk or fluid UF nonfat milk without declaring them in the ingredient statement, as long as their labels declare milk or nonfat milk in the ingredient statement.
To read the FDA’s complete guidance, click here. —FQ&S
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