Pasturize it!

There has been a food fad sweeping the Athens/Oconee locavores: raw milk.
It's a national movement really, and the gist of the pro-raw milk argument is this: grass fed cows who have been exposed to the germs in their environment develop stronger antibodies, and subsequently, healthier milk. By pasteurizing this milk, we lose the health benefits of these enzymes, antibodies, and friendly bacteria. A really great article detailing the raw milk debate in North Carolina can be found here and here.

For many of raw milk's fans, policy and regulations against the beverage keep them from getting to what has recently been hyped as a bit of a super food, one that will cure what ails ya if you start drinking it early enough. Germs get onto animal udders from feces, and even though sanitary milking procedures can get rid of these germs, pasterization is the most sure fire way to kill unwanted microbes in milk.

University of Georgia researchers though have been working very hard against this hype, reminding people that unpasteurized milk contains bacteria and disease and drinking it can lead to serious infections. Amid any hoopla about getting back to nature, and raw milk being healthier for the earth, it is easy to forget that food still needs to be handled properly to get rid of pathogens that can cause e. coli, listeria, and in some cases, rabies. Ag extension agents across the state have seen more cheeses and other products made from raw milk cropping up at farmer's markets lately.

To know whether or not you are buying products made from raw milk or pasteurized milk, look at the label. A standard label includes the manufacturer, the weight of the product in ounces and in grams, a list of ingredients and whether or not it is made from pasteurized dairy.

Pasteurization is an easy process to perform on milk, and it neither changes the flavor or promotes new allergens. Moreover, when Louis Pasteur introduced the process in the 19th century, fewer people than ever got sick from drinking their milk.