Title: Discussion Forum Description - Week 3: Raw Milk, Pasteurization, and You
Course: Lab Applications of Microbiology > Section: Course Content

Check out this website (and video!) from the FDA on raw milk, and the risks of drinking it: The Dangers of Raw Milk

Milk can be a great place for bacteria to grow, just like your culture media, with plenty of sugar,amino acids, and salt! And, it can be inoculated with bacteria from the surface of the cow as the cow is milked!

From the FDA: " Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. This raw, unpasteurized milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which are responsible for causing numerous foodborne illnesses."

How could performing a viable cell plate count on a raw milk sample tell you whether it is safe to drink or not? Would you choose to drink raw milk? Why, or why not.