(HealthNewsDigest.com) - In a word, no. The main difference between raw milk and pasteurized milk is the amount of bacteria. Raw milk can be very dangerous, especially for pregnant women, children, or those with a weakened immune system. Proponents feel it’s more nutritious and contains antimicrobial properties. Raw milk can’t kill off bacteria naturally, and it is so likely to be contaminated that it can’t be shipped across state lines.

Raw milk can be a host to a wide array of pathogens, including but not limited to, staphylococcus aureus, campylobacter jejuni, E. coli, listeria monocytogenes and yesinia enterocolitica. The incidence of infection varies worldwide and not all cases of illness are serious enough to be reported. Since 1998, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 831 illnesses, 66 hospitalizations and 1 death associated with raw milk. As recently as January 2009, a research study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Disease stated unpasteurized (raw) milk is a continued public health threat.

Many raw milk vendors confidently tell customers that their milk is safe because they have never been involved in a foodborne outbreak. In 2003 the only dairy in Ohio lawfully allowed to sell raw, which had been in operation since 1958, was implicated in foodborne illness traced to raw milk and cream. This dairy has since voluntarily given up its license to sell raw milk. “Never had” a problem doesn’t mean “never will.” Farms are not sterile environments, so all raw milk products have the potential to harbor harmful organisms given the right circumstances.

Many venders and their customers believe raw milk is a powerful health food. Yet, none of the health properties credited to raw milk have been verified by scientific research and many of the negatives regarding pasteurization are simply not true.

Pasteurization kills most (but never all) bacteria so milk is safe to drink and cheese, yogurt and ice cream made from pasteurized milk is safe to eat. Most milk is flash pasteurized, heated to 160o F (72o C) for 15 seconds. Ultrapasteurization can also be used, heating milk to 285o F (141o C) for only 1 to 2 seconds. This method kills so many bacteria the milk or cream remains unspoiled for weeks. Bacteria can always reinfect milk, yogurt or cheese, so all dairy foods should be kept cold and treated as products that spoil easily.

Pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems more often fall victim to foodborne illness than healthy adults. In the more serious cases the illness can cause kidney failure, premature births, and death. Those with a weakened immune system, such as someone undergoing cancer treatments, are at a higher risk for foodborne illness. Their inability to fight off bacteria is minimized because they are already ill.

Many advocates of raw milk believe that it contains substances that can naturally kill off harmful substances. This simply isn’t true. And, pasteurization which does kill off harmful substances is a safe process.

Many believe pasteurization causes lactose intolerance, the inability to digest milk sugar. Yet, the same amount of lactose is found in both pasteurized and raw milk. Lactose intolerance is a condition a person is born with and the symptoms will occur when too much of any type of milk is consumed.

Pasteurization does not cause allergies. The milk proteins which cause allergic reactions are the same in both raw and pasteurized milk. The heat treatment of pasteurization does not affect milk proteins so they are unchanged.