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Ballerina Farm is the latest raw milk manufacturer to halt production after reports its milk failed safety tests. Coliform, a family of bacteria that includes E. coli, was found in bottles manufactured in May and June 2025. The company, owned by lifestyle influencers Hannah and Daniel Neeleman, produces raw milk, among other products, on a small farm in Kamas, Utah, where it also has a farm stand. They also owned another farm store in Midway, Utah, but that location reportedly did not sell raw milk.
According to KPCW, Ballerina Farm had to do just that Stopping raw milk production After a routine health inspection by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF). This happened just a few months after raw milk began being sold at the Camas Farm stand, and a spokesperson for Ballerina Farm told KPCW that the farm currently only sells pasteurized milk.
“Raw milk production requires careful planning from a facility and infrastructure standpoint,” Ballerina Farm said in a Jan. 29 statement, according to KPCW. “Unfortunately, we learned this after the fact.”
However, in a statement by L the peopleBallerina Farm plans to open a second dairy farm dedicated to raw milk products, Daniel Neeleman said. He confirmed that although the presence of coliform bacteria was detected in its raw milk, it passed the daily testing required for sale in Utah.
But this isn’t the only recent news related to raw milk. On February 3, the New Mexico Department of Health Issue a warning New Mexico residents are urged to stop consuming raw dairy products after a newborn died from a listeria infection believed to be caused by raw milk their mother consumed during pregnancy.
In recent years, there have also been multiple cases of recalls Raw milk and Raw pet food Because it was discovered to contain the bird flu virus.
Health officials have been saying that for a long time Raw milk poses health risks Because it has not been pasteurized, a process that uses heat to kill disease-causing germs. However, this has not stopped people from continuing to drink it, believing it is “more natural” or “healthier” than commercial milk. We are investigating these claims.
Pasteurization kills disease-causing germs in milk, which is why raw, unpasteurized milk can pose health threats.
What is pasteurization?
pasteurization It is a heating process invented by French chemist Louis Pasteur in the 1860s, and has been widely used ever since as a way to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens that can sometimes cause serious illnesses. these Includes bacteria Pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Listeria, Salmonella, and Viruses such as H5N1 bird flu.
It may be some dairy products Highly pasteurizedThis means that the milk is heated more quickly than in the traditional pasteurization process (2 seconds versus 15 seconds) at a higher temperature, and then cooled quickly. This extends its shelf life.
Pasteurized dairy products can be organic or non-organic. Whether you can buy or sell raw, unpasteurized milk Depends on the laws in your state. In California, for example, you can buy raw milk in stores, even though it has to be raw Correctly labeled With the warning that it is not pasteurized.
Risks of drinking raw, unpasteurized milk
Accidentally drinking or inhaling contaminated raw milk may lead to illness. Unwashed hands and contaminated raw milk coming into contact with your eyes, nose, or mouth may also lead to infection.
There are also the existing health risks of raw milk, which is not part of what the FDA refers to as the “commercial” milk supply.
“In my opinion, there’s concern about raw milk purchases that could become part of the diet, and people sourcing that milk outside of going to the grocery store,” Meg Schaefer, an infectious disease epidemiologist and national public health advisor at analytics firm SAS, told CNET when this article was first published in 2024.
In general, drinking raw milk has health risks. It can expose people to serious diseases such as E. coli and Listeria. While it may cause temporary or milder illness in most people, people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, pregnant women, and very young children are especially at risk of serious health effects from drinking unpasteurized milk.
The risk is especially high in children, according to Schiffer, who are vulnerable to serious illness. In serious cases, the health effects of drinking contaminated raw milk can lead to kidney failure.
Schiffer also rejected claims that diseases that were once a major problem in countries like the United States, such as tuberculosis, were no longer a problem. This is true for tuberculosis, but we also have an effective treatment for it, she said. She added that this is not the case, as some diseases can be contracted by children due to unpasteurized milk.
“The diseases, if anything, are stronger — resistant to antibiotics,” Schaefer said, adding that some bacteria that could be in raw milk may go undetected by farmers because they do not cause illness in cows but do in humans.
While purchasing raw milk from a farm you know has higher standards and practices for safety, “good hygiene” during milking can reduce the risk of contaminated raw milk. It won’t kill himaccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Despite the health concerns surrounding raw milk, people continue to drink it for purported nutritional benefits that have been debunked.
Why do people still drink raw milk?
It is preferred by proponents of raw or unpasteurized milk Various reasonsincluding its creamy texture and taste, anecdotal reports indicate that it is easier to digest and claims to be more nutritious.
You can’t argue with someone’s taste or texture preferences when it comes to food, but when it comes to the nutritional or health benefits of raw milk compared to unpasteurized milk, research has refuted or debunked most of the claims. The US Food and Drug Administration, for example, says so Raw milk is not a cure Or an antidote to lactose intolerance. The agency also claims the same information page That people misuse the results of A 2007 study Consumption of farm milk, not raw milk, provides protection against asthma and allergies.
In analyzing the risks versus benefits of raw milk research, Healthline It stated that any small antimicrobial benefit of raw milk will be neutralized when refrigerated. As reported, based on the results of A 2011 systematic reviewMinor nutritional losses of water-soluble vitamins, including some B vitamins, are already low in milk overall.
“Pasteurization effectively kills raw milk pathogens without any significant impact on the nutritional quality of the milk,” the CDC said He finishes. “Several studies have indicated that pasteurization has little effect on the nutritional quality of milk.”
If you are looking for proven foods Intestinal health benefitsConsider adding foods like kimchi, pickled vegetables, and sourdough. Apple cider vinegar And milk to your diet.