FDA Denies Raw Milk Petition

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled against a raw milk petition presented to the agency four years ago. The unpasteurized milk petition sought to allow interstate sales of raw milk. Governmental agency officials cited potential health dangers from unpasteurized dairy products in the ruling.

The raw milk petition was drafted by the Organic Pastures Dairy Company LLC, a Fresno-based business. The group wanted the FDA to approve unpasteurized milk distribution across state lines if both regions authorized such sales. The unpasteurized dairy exemption would have mandated that all raw milk was inspected by a state, tested, and included a government warning.

The USFDA petition ruling penned by Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrtion Michael Landa read:

“Your petition does not contain facts demonstrating any reasonable grounds for this proposed amendments to 21 C.F.R. 1240.61 nor does it show that this proposal is in the public interest or will promote the objectives of FDA and the statutes it administers.”

The FDA official also mentioned raw milk health concerns in recent years when denying the proposal. The governmental agency maintains that “dozens” of illnesses in multiple states have been linked to unpasteurized milk. The letter denying the raw milk petition also stated that in 2010 and elderly individual suffered paralysis after a Campylobacter infection that was reportedly linked to a raw milk farm.

The FDA has prohibited interstate sales of raw milk since 1987. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that unpasteurized milk is “150 times” more likely to prompt foodborne illnesses than pasteurized dairy items.

While the FDA and CDC firmly feel that raw milk is not safe, thousands of Americans are involved in a grassroots movement to allow increased access to unpasteurized dairy products. Raw milk and raw cheese supporters believe that the organic form of the dairy products are entirely safe when prepared and stored properly.

How do you feel about the FDA raw milk petition ruling?

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