Social media promotion of raw milk 'misleading and dangerous'
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Public health experts are sounding the alarm about online content creators sharing misinformation about raw milk and spruiking it as a health food.
It is illegal to sell raw or unpasteurised milk for human consumption in Australia because it may contain harmful pathogens.
Pasteurisation is a specific heat treatment process used to kill bacteria such as E.coli, salmonella and listeria.
In the US state of Florida, 21 people became sick from campylobacter and E.coli and seven were hospitalised in August, after consuming raw milk from the same dairy.
The state's health department issued a statement warning people about concerning sanitation practices at the farm, and of the potentially severe illness that could occur as a result of consuming unpasteurised milk.
In 2014, a coroner found raw milk the "likely" cause of the death of a three-year-old boy in Victoria, although that finding has been contested by raw milk advocates.
In that case, the child had consumed raw milk sold as "bath milk".
Bath milk is labelled "not for human consumption" and is stocked in health food stores and independent grocers across Australia.
Adam Strupek runs wellness retreats in Brisbane, and purchases bath milk for consumption.
"It is illegal to sell raw milk for human consumption, but it's not illegal to drink the bath milk itself," Mr Strupek said.
He was fed raw dairy as a child and rediscovered it on social media as an adult.
Misinformation spread online
Mr Strupek said while pasteurisation could kill harmful bacteria, he believed it could also reduce other nutrients.
However, Deakin University lecturer Emily Denniss, who specialises in public health nutrition, disagreed.
Mr Strupek also claimed lactase, a digestive enzyme that assists with the digestion of milk, was destroyed by pasteurisation.
Dr Denniss said there was no lactase present in raw or pasteurised milk.
Dr Denniss is also concerned about the broader public health implications of diet trends and misinformation being shared on social media.
She said while it was impossible to quantify the number of people drinking raw milk, the promotion via social media was a growing trend.
"It's part of a bigger, more worrying trend of wellness influencers and other voices on social media thinking they have the credibility and authority to be undermining years of scientific research," she said.
"Misinformation and conspiracy theories can really undermine the public's trust in credible voices."
Food standards important
CSIRO food microbiologist Cathy McAuley said she was dismayed by the raw milk trend.
She said it was possible for diseases to be passed on through the cow, but also the environment in which the milk was obtained, making pasteurisation essential.
"There is bacteria in soil, water and faeces. If this gets on to the cow, it can get into the milk," she said.
Stuart Johnson, a WA-based board member of the Dairy Industry Association of Australia, said he had spoken to a number of dairy producers looking into selling bath milk.
He said the interest came from farmers who wanted to safeguard their income due to a tight dairy industry.
"They think they could sell it for a premium price, and I always say to them, 'Do you want to be the one to meet the mother of the child who fell sick, or worse?'" Mr Johnson said.
WA Farmers Federation president Steve McGuire said WA dairy farmers "produce milk to the highest quality and hygiene standards".
"However, in line with Australian food safety standards, milk is pasteurised so that Australians can purchase it with confidence, knowing it is safe to drink."
Written by Anna Cox, ABC News.
It is illegal to sell raw or unpasteurised milk for human consumption in Australia because it may contain harmful pathogens.
Pasteurisation is a specific heat treatment process used to kill bacteria such as E.coli, salmonella and listeria.
In the US state of Florida, 21 people became sick from campylobacter and E.coli and seven were hospitalised in August, after consuming raw milk from the same dairy.
It is illegal to sell raw milk for human consumption in Australia. (ABC Midwest & Wheatbelt: Anna Cox)
The state's health department issued a statement warning people about concerning sanitation practices at the farm, and of the potentially severe illness that could occur as a result of consuming unpasteurised milk.
In 2014, a coroner found raw milk the "likely" cause of the death of a three-year-old boy in Victoria, although that finding has been contested by raw milk advocates.
In that case, the child had consumed raw milk sold as "bath milk".
Bath milk is labelled "not for human consumption" and is stocked in health food stores and independent grocers across Australia.
Adam Strupek is a Brisbane-based holistic health and wellness advocate. (Supplied)
Adam Strupek runs wellness retreats in Brisbane, and purchases bath milk for consumption.
"It is illegal to sell raw milk for human consumption, but it's not illegal to drink the bath milk itself," Mr Strupek said.
He was fed raw dairy as a child and rediscovered it on social media as an adult.
Mr Strupek said while pasteurisation could kill harmful bacteria, he believed it could also reduce other nutrients.
However, Deakin University lecturer Emily Denniss, who specialises in public health nutrition, disagreed.
Mr Strupek also claimed lactase, a digestive enzyme that assists with the digestion of milk, was destroyed by pasteurisation.
Dr Denniss said there was no lactase present in raw or pasteurised milk.
Emily Denniss is a nutritionist who specialises in health and nutrition communication. (Supplied)
Dr Denniss is also concerned about the broader public health implications of diet trends and misinformation being shared on social media.
She said while it was impossible to quantify the number of people drinking raw milk, the promotion via social media was a growing trend.
"It's part of a bigger, more worrying trend of wellness influencers and other voices on social media thinking they have the credibility and authority to be undermining years of scientific research," she said.
"Misinformation and conspiracy theories can really undermine the public's trust in credible voices."
Food standards important
CSIRO food microbiologist Cathy McAuley said she was dismayed by the raw milk trend.
She said it was possible for diseases to be passed on through the cow, but also the environment in which the milk was obtained, making pasteurisation essential.
"There is bacteria in soil, water and faeces. If this gets on to the cow, it can get into the milk," she said.
Stuart Johnson, a WA-based board member of the Dairy Industry Association of Australia, said he had spoken to a number of dairy producers looking into selling bath milk.
Stuart Johnson believes farmers can make profits in less dangerous ways. (Supplied: Stuart Johnson)
He said the interest came from farmers who wanted to safeguard their income due to a tight dairy industry.
"They think they could sell it for a premium price, and I always say to them, 'Do you want to be the one to meet the mother of the child who fell sick, or worse?'" Mr Johnson said.
WA Farmers Federation president Steve McGuire said WA dairy farmers "produce milk to the highest quality and hygiene standards".
"However, in line with Australian food safety standards, milk is pasteurised so that Australians can purchase it with confidence, knowing it is safe to drink."
Written by Anna Cox, ABC News.
