By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There’s a lot of people drinking raw milk these days. Researchers at The Ohio State University are not worried about potential health risks involved; they’re just wondering why this practice is taking an upward trend.

“We truly do not know very much about how farmers make the choice to drink raw or pasteurized milk, there’s just nothing in the literature,” said Lydia Medeiros, a scientist with Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) and OSU extension.

In an attempt to learn more about the milk-drinking habits of farmers and non-farmers, six focus groups took place two weeks ago in Pomeroy, Coshocton and Wooster, Ohio. Those surveyed were volunteers and were asked to complete a written survey and take part in a 90-minute focus group session. Subjects were paid $25 for their time and trouble.

The study included farmers who drink their own raw milk produced on-site and those who drink pasteurized milk. The study also includes those who do not live on farms who drink raw or pasteurized milk. Participants chosen for the study were at least 18 years old.

Despite mounting evidence of the health risks in unpasteurized milk, advocates continue to tout benefits, dismissing warnings about bacterial contaminants that can sicken or even kill adults and children.

“We know raw milk is hazardous, but we don’t know what it is that drives people to continue to consume it anyway,” said Dr. Jeffery LeJeune, a microbiologist and researcher at the Food Animal Health Research Program at OSU and principal investigator of the study. “There are tacit webs of belief that drive behavior, and everyone acts in what they believe to be a rational way. We need to learn more about where they seek information, and how they decide to reject or accept it.”

One problem, he said, is that physicians often have gaps in their knowledge and therefore don’t warn patients about the risks. Farmers who sell raw milk also may not be aware of the scientific data about risks. Consumers who decide to research the issue online are led to websites run by raw milk advocates.

This study was funded by the USDA’s National Integrated Food Safety Initiative. The findings of the study will be revealed later this year.
Raw milk devotees often pay a premium price for the unpasteurized beverage because they believe it is a more healthful option since it contains more nutrients and has a creamier and richer taste. Many say cheese, yogurt, sour cream and ice cream made from raw milk tastes better than store-bought goods. But those at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cite scientific evidence to show the raw milk is harmful.

In a 2009 paper in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases on the continued public-health threat of unpasteurized milk, LeJeune noted that dangerous bacteria can be carried by healthy animals, so a nice local farm with well-cared-for animals doesn’t guarantee safety. And even in the cleanest dairy environment, where milk is properly chilled after harvesting, he wrote the risk of contamination from bacteria can’t be fully eliminated.

“We need to point out that our study isn’t interested in learning who is drinking the milk, we’re just looking at the decision-making process and why they make these decisions,” says Janet Buffer, a research associate at OARDC. “We’re not passing judgment on whether it’s right or wrong.”

Raw milk isn’t easy to come by if one is not a dairy farmer. In states such as Ohio it is illegal to sell raw milk, so people drive to neighboring states like Pennsylvania where it is legal.

Legal or not, raw milk sales go on in every state in the Farm World readership area. Sites in each state can be found at www.realmilk.com/where2.html