Cornell University Dean of Agriculture, Kathryn Boor, spoke about the dangers of drinking raw milk during an appearance on the television program Good Day New York this morning.
Boor, who spoke about raw milk in terms of frequency and risk, likened pasteurization to wearing a seat belt when riding in a car. “The real trick to understanding your choice, is understanding the risk you’re taking,” she said.
Although proponents say raw milk contains beneficial bacteria that are killed off during the pasteurization process, Boor said, “There are no good data that show that there are any significant health benefits for the consumption of raw milk.”
Boor, who grew up on a farm in New York, described pasteurization as a mild heat treatment that does not bring the temperature of milk to a boil and lasts for about 15 seconds. She said pasteurization kills harmful bacteria that can cause illness or death. “Drinking raw milk can kill you,” Boor said.
Raw milk is legal in New York, where Cornell is located and Boor said Cornell faculty have been asked to testify before the New Jersey Assembly which is considering a current bill proposing the legalization of raw milk.
Two New Jersey residents are among the 80 people who have been sickened by one of the largest raw milk outbreaks in recent history, the Campylobacter outbreak linked to raw milk produced by The Family Cow dairy in Pennsylvania.
