United States: A new survey shows that a lot of the Americans don’t understand the health risks of the drinking this raw milk so the experts are working harder to share this important news.
Bird Flu Found in Milk This Spring
This is especially important now because bird flu was found in milk from infected cows this spring. This bird flu can spread from wild birds to cows and has made some people sick in the U.S. As of June 21, there have been four cases of bird flu in people in the United States.
Experts Warn About the Risks of Raw Milk
“It is important that anyone planning to consume raw milk be aware that doing so can make you sick and that pasteurization reduces the risk of milk-borne illnesses,” said Patrick Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.
The milk which has not been boiled at a specific temperature to kill the germs is called raw or unpasteurised milk and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that consuming unpasteurized milk and the products made from it can expose people to germs such as .Coli, listeria and salmonella.
Survey Reveals Mixed Knowledge About Pasteurization
In June, when there were no human cases of the bird flu were detected the Annenberg Institute surveyed 1,031 American adults online and by phone to gauge their knowledge about the risks associated with unpasteurized milk.
Rural vs. Urban Views on Raw Milk
While there are 47 percent of the respondents knew that raw milk is less safe to drink and 24 percent either wrongly believed that pasteurizing milk does not effectively kill the bacteria and viruses or were unsure whether it does.
Though there are only 4 Americans out of 10 Republicans which 37 percent said they believe raw milk is less safe than pasteurized.
Many Americans Misunderstand Pasteurization’s Effects
“The difference in views of raw milk that we see between Democrats and Republicans is difficult to disentangle from the difference between rural and urban dwellers,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, said in a center news release. “Those in rural areas are both more likely to identify as Republicans and to consume raw milk.”
A separate analysis showed that where one lives does not predict beliefs about pasteurization. Still, many Americans have misguided notions about it.
Less likely that is 43 percent knew that the pasteurization does not destroy the nutrients in the milk in which 16 percent thinks that it does and rest were unsure.