Pasteurized Milk Vs Raw Milk - What's The Difference
Ah, the classic difference between raw milk versus pasteurized milk debate. It's an endless one, but people have been drinking milk long before it started being pasteurized in the late 19th century in Europe. What makes it so risky now? And how long does raw milk last? And why is milk pasteurized? Long before the Industrial Revolution milk was considered an unsafe food being a perfect medium for some dangerous, infective bacteria. As a solution dairy cows were kept in more urban areas to reduce the amount the milk had to travel, which worked pretty well for a while.
Milk production is a complex process. The first step involves separating the milk from the animal, which can be done by hand or with the help of machines. After that, the milk must be pasteurized to kill any harmful bacteria.
After pasteurization, the milk can be sold in its original form or used for further processing into milk-based products.
If you are interested in where can I buy raw milk, you may have to search for it at local farmers' markets or directly from dairy farms. You can also purchase it online through a variety of websites dedicated to selling pasteurized vs unpasteurized milk, as well as dairy products directly from farms.
When it comes to choosing between pasteurized milk and raw milk, understanding the nuances can lead to informed decisions. While pasteurized milk undergoes heat treatment to eliminate potential pathogens, raw milk is left in its natural state, retaining valuable nutrients and enzymes that may be lost during pasteurization. Embracing the Understanding Raw Milk Movement allows individuals to explore the benefits of raw milk for Raw Milk Mental Health and overall well-being.
The availability of Raw Milk Vending Machines, Raw Milk Co-op Guide, and Raw Milk CSA Partnership options provides consumers with convenient access to this wholesome product while ensuring that stringent Raw Milk Safety Protocols are in place to guarantee its quality and purity.
By delving into the differences between pasteurized and raw milk, consumers can make choices that align with their preferences and values. Whether enjoying a glass of cold raw milk or incorporating it into favorite recipes, the unique qualities of raw milk offer a delightful and nourishing experience. Cheers to the diversity of dairy options and the opportunity to savor the natural goodness of raw milk.
Pasteurized Milk
When did milk pasteurization begin? As urban areas grew into cities, the safe transport of milk became increasingly hard to maintain. In the late 19th century, Louis Pasteur, a French biologist, patented a method for pasteurizing wine, which was later adopted for both beer and milk. Pasteurized milk is a refined milk product, and the purpose of pasteurization is to kill infectious pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria and to extend its preservation while keeping the nutritional value intact. This is done in large stainless steel pasteurizers that allow large producers to process up to 50,000 liters of milk daily. But what’s the process of how to pasturize milk? Four methods of how to pasteurize milk:
Pasteurization Methods
High-Temperature Short Time - HTST
HTST is the most common method of pasteurization in the US. It works by heating the milk either to 161°F for 15 sec or to 145°F for 30 mins followed by a rapid cooling process. The shelf life of the milk is around 2 weeks when it's refrigerated.
High Heat Shorter Time - HHST
HHST pasteurization is similar to HTST pasteurization. The milk can be heated anywhere from 191°F to 212°F anywhere from 1 full second to 1 one hundredth of a second, followed by a rapid cooling stage.
Ultra-high Temperature - UHT
Long shelf-life milk can be stored unopened at room temperature for up to 6-9 months. The milk is heated in aseptic environments to 280°F for at least 2 seconds then rapidly cooled and hermetically sealed.
Ultra-pasteurized - UP
Not to be confused with UHT pasteurization. Ultra pasteurization involves heating the milk to 280°F for at least 2 seconds using sterile equipment but not hermetically sealed therefore must be refrigerated and can last from 30-90 days
Milk Homogenization
Processed milk can be raw or pasteurized, but if it's processed, it's not raw—it's no longer in its natural state. Pasteurized milk goes through a process called homogenization involves placing milk (normally pasteurized prior) into a pressurized vat that breaks down and disperses milkfat particles naturally present in the milk. In milk that isn't homogenized, the fat particles rise and form a layer of cream on the surface that can be skimmed off the top or shaken/stirred back into the milk. Homogenizing makes the milk more stable and gives it a whiter appearance.
Raw Milk
A raw milk product is any food or drink often made from raw cow's milk, but it can also be made from goat milk that has not been pasteurized. Raw milk products may include cheese, butter, kefir, yogurt, cream, and even ice cream.
Most of the raw milk consumed is typically made by pasture-raised healthy cows. Pasture-raised cows are grass-fed cows that eat plants instead of grains, which can lead to better animal health, which then, in turn, produces healthier milk with more nutritional benefits.
So, why is raw milk better than pasteurized? The benefits of consuming raw milk include improved digestion and immune function, also, raw milk contains important nutrients and a high content of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) in raw milk compared to pasteurized milk, which in turn benefits human health. However, it can still contain harmful bacteria and may cause serious health risks that weaken immune systems if one drinks raw milk. Raw milk must be kept refrigerated at all times and should be consumed within two days, and it is only right to consume fresh milk while it’s still fresh.
Nutrition
There is a very heated debate about whether or not raw milk is more nutritious than pasteurized milk. Since the movement has taken ground it has been proven that raw milk is, in fact, more nutritious, containing considerably more fat-soluble vitamins as well as water-soluble vitamins, which include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and other minerals and nutrients like amino acids, milk proteins, healthy fats, vitamin A, B, C, D, E, and K.
Pasteurization doesn't just kill harmful microbes but all the good ones that benefit gut health as well. Other important microbes, like 60 different enzymes that are present in raw milk, assist with digestion, and the absorption of minerals like calcium is also severely depleted. The lack of these enzymes could explain the high rates of lactose intolerance and milk allergy in families across the US. There are many cases of families prone to lactose intolerance that saw said intolerance disappear when they consumed raw milk. While the differences in the levels of these microbes aren't high; once raw dairy is fermented into products like kefir and yogurt their health benefits are greatly increased.
Raw milk has been vilified by the FDA and the commercial milk industry because of the risk of contamination which happens after the cow has been milked. It's easy for milk to be contaminated with harmful microbes when industrial dairy farms hold cows in incredibly crowded conditions living within proximity to their feces and waste. Like in factory beef farms, the 'efficient' solution is to feed the dairy cows antibiotics and pasteurize the milk. Raw milk from pastured cows is bound to be safer from raw milk that came from unsanitary, dirty, pre-industrial cities, or crowded, dirty, post-industrial dairy lots.
The Bottom Line
In that case, raw milk or pasteurized milk, which is better? And why? Whether or not you decide whether or not your family consumes raw milk is an educated decision you have to make, taking into account more than just their effects on you. Think about the conditions cows are kept in by industrial milk producers that often force them to pasteurize because of the unsanitary conditions these cows are forced to stand day in and day out. In the US, raw milk consumption is on the rise. This trend of farm milk consumption is especially true for rural and suburban populations who are looking for alternatives to factory-farmed dairy goods that may contain antibiotics or other chemicals. Consider any immune deficiencies you or your loved ones have, and look into where the dairy products you buy come from.
And where can I buy raw milk? Looking for Texas Raw Milk Dairy Farms that produce hormone-free milk? Click here.
