As you browse the cheese cases at Weavers Way, you will find many that are made with raw milk. Conscientious consumers might ask what this means or if these cheeses are even safe to eat. 

Raw-milk cheese is made from milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization — heating milk to at least 145 degrees for 30 minutes, or 162 degrees for 15 seconds —destroys all active bacteria and essentially sterilizes the milk. The process was a huge boon to public health when Louis Pasteur invented it in the 19th century. Today, however, the dairy industry has much better sanitation practices, to the point where the risk of contamination from the milking processes is tiny. Raw-milk cheese is only a problem when it is processed or handled improperly — and that can happen with pasteurized-milk cheese as well. 

Raw milk, and especially the cheeses made with it, are considered by many to be extremely safe and even beneficial to your health. Raw milk and cheese made with it are higher in probiotics. What is more, research has shown that microbes found in raw milk may have an anti-pathogenic effect on the final product—meaning that the good bacteria actually fight off the bad. This suggests that pasteurizing the milk before making cheese actually may be counterproductive. 

But the main downside is that when beneficial bacteria and microbes, which vary in every region and even between different farms, are destroyed along with the pathogens, it robs the end product of its individuality and flavor — its “terroir.”

While terroir is a term typically used for wines, denoting the varying flavor profiles based on the place they are made, it is applicable to cheese as well. Without these microbes, standardized laboratory cultures must be added during the cheese making, leading to a lack of diversity in cheeses and flavors. To combat this, some small producers have begun to isolate microbes specific to their location and add them back to pasteurized milk. 

In Europe, certain cheeses are required by law to be made with raw milk. Perhaps you’ve heard of some of them — Parmigiano Reggiano, Gruyere, Roquefort? 

Like dairy farms in the United States, European producers use the strictest of standards to ensure that their raw milk cheeses are processed in safe environments. 

And at the Co-op, we know our vendors and understand that they take all necessary precautions before distributing their products. If you have a concern, always ask your cheesemonger for help with determining whether a cheese is raw or pasteurized. 

Many health professionals will urge you to stay away from raw-milk products, especially if you have an at-risk immune system. While I would never recommend that anyone ignore doctor’s orders, I do urge all consumers to do their own research. There are many useful resources out there, but I suggest the Oldways Food Coalition website (www.oldwayscheese.org) as a starting point.