The trend for fresh , local , unprocessed foods could be putting people at risk if they opt to drink raw milk . This is according to a new study that claims raw milk makes people 100 times more likely to get ill than the pasteurised version . Raw milk is associated with more than half of all milk-related food borne illnesses , even though only an estimated 3.5 per cent of the population in the US drink it . Raw milk has not been pasteurised by heat treatment . Advocates believe it is s healthier , cleaner , and tastes better . But a new study claims raw milk makes people 100 times more likely to get ill . Raw milk has not been pasteurised by heat treatment . All fresh milk sold in the high street is pasteurised – heated to 72C ( 162F ) for 25 seconds . As well as killing E.coli , the process also eliminates campylobacter , salmonella and listeria . Untreated raw milk is thicker with a distinctive creamy taste . But any harmful bugs on the body or udders of the cow that pass into the milk are not killed off . Cheese made from raw milk may contain these bugs . Advocates of the product argue that pasteurisation removes important nutrients , such as folic acid . They also claim raw milk is associated with reduced levels of asthma , hay fever and food allergies in children . But US tests have shown that the nutrients in raw and pasteurised milk are the same . Advocates believe that raw milk , which contains more natural antibodies , proteins , and bacteria than pasteurised milk , is healthier , cleaner , and tastes better . They argue pasteurisation removes important nutrients , such as folic acid . But the new study shows the risks are better understood than the benefits and that more research is needed to prove that the health claims are legitimate . They claim it can put people at risk of microbial contaminants commonly found in milk including infectious Salmonella , Campylobacter , and Listeria species along with the most dangerous form of E. coli . These bacteria can cause foodborne illness in humans , including diarrhea , vomiting , cramping , fevers , and sometimes more serious consequences such as kidney failure or death . 'The risks of consuming raw milk instead of pasteurised milk are well-established in the scientific literature and in some cases can have severe or even fatal consequences , ' says Cissy Li , a graduate student in environmental health sciences at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health . 'Based on our findings , we discourage the consumption of raw milk , especially among vulnerable populations such as the elderly , people with impaired immune systems , pregnant women , and children . ' Pasteurisation involves heating milk to destroy microbes in the milk supply from fecal contamination , dairy operations , cow udders , or other sources . Treated milk is hermetically sealed to prevent recontamination . Untreated raw milk is thicker with a distinctive creamy taste . But any harmful bugs on the body or udders of the cow that pass into the milk are not killed off . Cheese made from raw milk may also contain these bugs . Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future conducted an analysis of 81 published scientific journal articles , . 'Ultimately , the scientific literature showed that the risk of foodborne illness from raw milk is over 100 times greater than the risk of foodborne illness from pasteurised milk , ' says report lead author Benjamin Davis , also a graduate student in environmental health sciences . 'Although potential benefits related to the consumption of raw milk would benefit from further investigation , we believe that , from a public health perspective , it is a far safer choice to discourage the consumption of raw milk . ' The study comes as incidents on three farms selling raw milk led to E.coli poisoning in five children aged one to 12 and one adult aged 28 . Last year , the Food Standards Agency in the UK suspended sales of raw cows ’ drinking milk and any product made from the milk , including cheese , at all three farms .
Advocates of raw milk say pasteurisation removes important nutrients . But it is also associated with half of all milk-related food borne illnesses . Study shows increased risk of illness from both Salmonella and E. coli .