Essay #1 – Food Safety
Raw Milk Where Do We Draw The Line?
As food and drinks are something that we consume every day it is important to consider the risks of that what we put into our bodies. Biological design and years of evolution has presented us with a body that is able to digest and process a large variety of products. Food safety is not limited to the distinction between what we can and cannot eat or drink but also addresses the safety issues related to some of the most commonly consumed foods or beverages. This essay reflects on the ethics involved with selling raw milk. Recent outbreaks of E. Coli amongst several children in Tennessee has refueled the debate on raw milk. The health complications associated with the dangers of raw milk are severe and frequent enough to firmly take a stance against the sale of raw milk by dairy farms.
Some might say that the deliberate consumption of raw milk, while aware of the dangers, is a right to all. Yet many drinks and foods are regulated or even banned based on health reasons. Think about the legal drinking age of alcohol or the illegal status of “Magic Mushrooms”. It is clear that the government or our collective consciousness is somewhat feeling responsible for the produce that is available to the public. By making the sale of raw milk illegal we protect the public from the significant health dangers that drinking raw milk can cause. Much research points towards these dangers of raw milk and the process of pasteurization can easily provide milk that possesses little to no harmful pathogens.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that “From 1998 to 2009, consumption of raw milk products in the U.S. resulted in 1,837 illnesses, 195 hospitalizations, 93 illness outbreaks, and two deaths”. Although two deaths in 11 years harshly sound alarming it is the amount of hospitalizations and illnesses that demands our attention. The problem with raw milk and dangerous pathogens such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Listeria is that there are no visible signs of these bacteria in the milk, the cow, or the dairy farm environment. TDH State Epidemiologist Tim Jones, M.D Reports, “Milk from the healthiest-appearing cows in the cleanest dairy operations can still contain deadly microorganisms.”. he only way to ensure safe milk is thus by killing the harmful pathogens through pasteurization, a process that with today’s technology does not require too much effort and leaves the healthy nutrients that milk provides. The ethical questions that
Raw Milk Where Do We Draw The Line?
As food and drinks are something that we consume every day it is important to consider the risks of that what we put into our bodies. Biological design and years of evolution has presented us with a body that is able to digest and process a large variety of products. Food safety is not limited to the distinction between what we can and cannot eat or drink but also addresses the safety issues related to some of the most commonly consumed foods or beverages. This essay reflects on the ethics involved with selling raw milk. Recent outbreaks of E. Coli amongst several children in Tennessee has refueled the debate on raw milk. The health complications associated with the dangers of raw milk are severe and frequent enough to firmly take a stance against the sale of raw milk by dairy farms.
Some might say that the deliberate consumption of raw milk, while aware of the dangers, is a right to all. Yet many drinks and foods are regulated or even banned based on health reasons. Think about the legal drinking age of alcohol or the illegal status of “Magic Mushrooms”. It is clear that the government or our collective consciousness is somewhat feeling responsible for the produce that is available to the public. By making the sale of raw milk illegal we protect the public from the significant health dangers that drinking raw milk can cause. Much research points towards these dangers of raw milk and the process of pasteurization can easily provide milk that possesses little to no harmful pathogens.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that “From 1998 to 2009, consumption of raw milk products in the U.S. resulted in 1,837 illnesses, 195 hospitalizations, 93 illness outbreaks, and two deaths”. Although two deaths in 11 years harshly sound alarming it is the amount of hospitalizations and illnesses that demands our attention. The problem with raw milk and dangerous pathogens such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Listeria is that there are no visible signs of these bacteria in the milk, the cow, or the dairy farm environment. TDH State Epidemiologist Tim Jones, M.D Reports, “Milk from the healthiest-appearing cows in the cleanest dairy operations can still contain deadly microorganisms.”. he only way to ensure safe milk is thus by killing the harmful pathogens through pasteurization, a process that with today’s technology does not require too much effort and leaves the healthy nutrients that milk provides. The ethical questions that
surround the issue or raw milk are related to the intersection of choice and
safety and severity of the health dangers resulting from the milk. Marcie McBee,
the owner of the dairy farm from which the E. Coli outbreak spread, defends the
position of choice and states, “My customers and I feel that we are
well-informed and able to make our own decisions about the food we consume,”.
With her position she reiterates the argument that what we put on our bodies is
our decision and we are free to consume the raw milk if we like to. This argument
is supported by the correct claim that no living food is 100 percent protected
from containing harmful pathogens. Although McBee and other supporters of
free-choice concerning food consumption have a good point they fail to see the
context in which the health dangers of raw milk have manifested. Jatinder Bhatia, MD, a member
of the Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that, “Consumption of
raw milk
products is especially risky for pregnant women, infants, immunocompromised
individuals, and the elderly, and the evidence overwhelmingly establishes the
benefits of pasteurization on food safety.” Especially those who do not
experience the freedom of choice to the fullest, such as (unborn)children and
the elderly seem to be at high risk for raw milk consumption. It is especially
these people that need to be protected from the dangers of raw milk that a
complete ban of its sale could realize. Additional research on raw milk
consumption in Minnesota reveals the prevalence of health issues association
with raw milk consumption. The study results reported that out of all the
Minnesotans who drank raw milk from 2001 to 2010, up to 17 percent may have
fallen ill with an intestinal infection from doing so.
The ethical approach to
these results would be to establish where on the spectrum of safety do we draw
the line? Considering the United States has already outlawed several foods and
beverages due to health reasons it is time to discuss the same options for raw
milk. As of today, it is still legal to sell raw milk in 30 states. The health
issues associated with raw milk however are more severe and significant than
many people assume. With strong recommendation from several health organization
such as the American Academy of Pediatrics to no longer sell raw milk it is
time to re-consider raw-milk legislation.
Sources:
Hey Tin, nice article! I like how you did some extra research and found what Dr. Tim had to say. You mentioned there is a drinking age for alcohol and how the government is feeling conscious about the produce available to the public. What if we had a Raw milk consumption age requirement? The age requirement would allow for the immune system to develop and be able to fight off the bacteria found in raw milk.
ReplyDelete-TC
Really interesting article. I was really thinking that it shouldn't be that big of a deal to consume raw milk if you were the one to produce it but when you mentioned the legal drinking age it really made sense that some protection could be involved in the regulation of milk and dairy. Good post.
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