Health Tip of the Week, sponsored by Baton Rouge General: Let’s get real about raw milk

This year in Florida, over 20 people have gotten sick—some of them kids and some hospitalized—after drinking raw milk. While the “raw milk movement” has ramped up at times in recent years, outbreaks like this bring the raw vs. pasteurized argument to the forefront. Pasteurization is the quick heating process that kills harmful bacteria without changing nutritional value. Without this step, there’s no guarantee that the milk is free of germs. Cows, goats, and sheep can carry bacteria in their udders, on their skin, or in their environment. The pasteurization process has been around for more than a century for good reason: it’s a safe and effective food safety measure. Learn more about raw milk.