When you pour fresh milk into your cereal bowl, you can feel confident that it’s safe and nutritious.
Milk is a very healthy product and provides a whole range of nutrients. Farmers do a lot to make sure milk is safe.

Milk is one of the most regulated and tested foods in the United States. It takes fewer than 48 hours for milk to travel from the farm to the store, and during that time, it goes through several steps to ensure its freshness and purity.

“Consumers can rest assured that the milk supply is safe,” says Stephanie Clark, a dairy scientist, human nutrition expert and emeritus professor at Iowa State University (ISU).

All “Grade A” milk and dairy foods that you buy at the grocery store are tested and pasteurized for safety, Clark explains.

What is milk pasteurization?

Pasteurization kills, or inactivates, any bacteria or microorganisms that could make us sick. Studies also confirm that pasteurization kills the bird flu virus, which can also infect dairy cows. 

“The key thing here is that (pasteurization) is for safety,” says Terri Boylston, associate professor and associate chair of ISU’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. 

“And that’s especially important for our most vulnerable population, so that the very young, the very old and those who may be immune deficient can consume dairy products, get the nutritional benefits and not have to worry about safety concerns or foodborne illness.”

Studies show that pasteurized milk is just as nutritious as unpasteurized milk (often called “raw milk”), Boylston says.

When milk is pasteurized, it is heated to a mild temperature, hot enough to kill bacteria and viruses, but low enough to retain milk’s many nutrients, like calcium and potassium.

After it’s warmed, the milk is quickly cooled down again. This helps keep the milk fresh and tasty. It also extends the shelf-life, preventing food waste.

“Milk is a very healthy product and provides a whole range of nutrients,” Boylston says. “The pasteurization process ensures safety for consumers, and farmers do a lot, too, on the farm to make sure milk is safe.”

Pasteurization is just one of many actions that dairy farmers and creameries take to ensure milk safety.

It all starts on the farm, because healthy cows produce safe, nutritious food.

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“What is being done on the farm is awesome. It’s a huge task, and it gives you that additional assurance,” Boylston says.

Farmers give their dairy cows high-quality feed, shelter and care to keep the herd healthy and comfortable. 

They also work closely with veterinarians and animal scientists to stay up-to-date on best herd management practices. 

Sometimes farm animals get sick, just like people. When that happens, farmers consult with veterinarians to determine the best treatment options.

Only milk from healthy cows can enter the food supply, Clark explains. 

As another safety measure, milk is quickly cooled before it leaves the farm. Many farmers use new technology that can flash-cool milk within seconds. 

Milk is tested at least three times and is subject to up to 17 safety checks from farm to store, Clark says. 

If testing finds any contaminants in the milk, it never enters the food supply, as required by law.

As consumers, we also have a role to play in protecting food safety. Refrigerate milk and other dairy foods as soon as you get home from the store. This will not only prevent spoilage but also help protect the flavor.

Why should I drink real milk?

Milk and dairy are excellent sources of important nutrients our bodies need, including calcium, vitamin D and high-quality protein, Boylston says.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that Americans consume at least three servings of real milk and dairy foods, like cheese and yogurt, a day for health.

Plant-based, imitation dairy beverages, like oat and almond drinks, aren't recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines because they aren't nutritionally equivalent to real dairy, Boylston says. The only plant-based drink that's recommended is fortified soymilk, because it contains added calcium and vitamin D.

To learn more about how farmers work to ensure meat quality, food safety and farm animal care, visit “Real Farmers. Real Food. Real Meat.” (realfarmersrealfoodrealmeat.com)

Is raw milk safe?

Food safety experts say it's dangerous to consume raw milk, or unpasteurized milk, due to the high risk of foodborne illness.

"There’s just too many safety concerns (with raw milk), and it’s not worth the risk,” says Terri Boylston, a human nutrition expert at Iowa State University. “And the benefit that you may think you’re getting nutritionally, studies have shown that there’s no nutritional benefits (to raw milk), but the risk of illness is so much greater.”

This year, at least 165 people, including children, got sick from salmonella after drinking raw milk from a California dairy. It was the largest outbreak linked to raw milk in a decade.

Consuming raw milk can lead to serious health risks, especially for vulnerable populations, including young children, older adults and people with compromised immune systems, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Pasteurization removes any disease-causing germs by heating milk to a high enough temperature for a certain length of time. Pasteurization also kills the bird flu virus, which can infect dairy cows.

For more information about pasteurization and raw milk risks, visit cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/raw-milk.html.