Raw and Heat-Treated Milk: From Public Health Risks to Nutritional Quality

Abstract

Abstract:Consumers have recently shown a preference for natural food products and ingredients and within that framework, their interest in consuming raw drinking milk has been highlighted, claiming nutritional, organoleptic and health benefits. However, a public debate has simultaneously emerged about the actual risks and benefits of direct human consumption of raw milk. This paper compares the microbiological, nutritional and sensory profile of raw and heat-treated milk, to evaluate the real risks and benefits of its consumption. In detail, it provides an updated overview of the main microbiological risks of raw milk consumption, especially related to the presence of pathogens and the main outputs of risk assessment models are reported. After introducing the key aspects of most commonly used milk heat-treatments, the paper also discusses the effects such technologies have on the microbiological, nutritional and sensory profile of milk. An insight into the scientific evidence behind the claimed protective effects of raw milk consumption in lactose-intolerant subjects and against the onset of asthma and allergy disorders in children is provided. The emergence of novel milk processing technologies, such as ohmic heating, microwave heating, high pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, ultrasound and microfiltration is also presented as an alternative to common thermal treatments.

Human zoonotic tuberculosis and livestock exposure in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review identifying challenges in laboratory diagnosis

“…The authors found that poor farm biosecurity and poor nutrition leading to ill health of the cattle were contributing management risk factors (Rahman et al, ). Consumption of raw milk by people is more likely to progress to extra‐pulmonary TB lesions (Melini, Melini, Luziatelli, & Ruzzi, ). Pasteurization completely removes M. bovis from dairy, having been designed to specifically destroy M. tuberculosis and C. burnetti (Melini et al, ).…”

“…Consumption of raw milk by people is more likely to progress to extra‐pulmonary TB lesions (Melini, Melini, Luziatelli, & Ruzzi, ). Pasteurization completely removes M. bovis from dairy, having been designed to specifically destroy M. tuberculosis and C. burnetti (Melini et al, ). Increased uptake of dairy pasteurization in LMICs will remove a significant risk factor for zTB infection as well as several other pathogens such as Brucella, Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Yersinia (Melini et al, ).…”

A Brief Discussion on Curdling Technology, Microbiological Risks and Contaminants of Fermented Milk Named Biisim Missiga

“…The presence of these moulds in dairy products as Aspergillus, Fusarium, Stachybotrys and Penicillium potential mycotoxin producers represents a danger for human and animal health (Abo El-Makarem et al, 2019;Alnaemi, 2019). Toxins produced by theses moulds must be taken into account when monitoring the sanitary quality of fermented dairy products intended for consumption (Melini et al, 2017).…”

Construction of a method for predicting the number of enterobacteria in milk using artifical neural networks

“…Raw milk may be the source of the following food pathogens from the Enterobacteriaceae family: Salmonella spp., Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli [13,14]. That is why bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family are the indicative microorganisms for raw materials and food products, and are, accordingly, used to control the level of hygienic and sanitary practices in the process of food production [15,16].…”