resenLaLlon Lo SelecL ClreachLas CommlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and
AgrlculLure Comblned uocumenLs
DCCUMLN1S kCVIDLD Cvervlew and SLrucLure of resenLaLlon ,aln Campalgn olnLs 8esponse Lo lSAl uocumenLs lnformaLlon from rofessor lrancls 8uLler
1be compolqo fot kow Mllk wos fotmeJ by o oombet of boJles ooJ bosloesses locloJloq 5low looJ ltelooJ ltlsb cottle ooJ 5beep lotmets Assoclotloo cols 1be ltlsb lotmboose cbeese Mokets Assoclotloo ototopoes cotk ltee cbolce coosomet Ctoop ltlsb looJ wtltets CollJ os well os tetollets of tow mllk A covlstoos ooJ 5betlJoos cbeesemooqets ooJ fotmets ooJ ptoJocets 1letooo lomlly lotm ooJ kellys Otqoolc 5loce lts fotmotloo lo Ioly 2011 tbe compolqo bos tecelveJ tbe soppott of mooy mote bosloesses fotmets coosomets otqoolsotloos fooJ wtltets ooJ cbefs
kepresent|ng the CkMI llsabeLh 8yan Campalgn CoordlnaLor kevln Sherldan ulrecLor Sherldans Cheesemongers uavld 1lernan ualry larmer Cheese ,aker and 8aw ,llk producer uarlna Allen Slow lood lreland Independent Sc|ent|f|c kepresentat|ve rofessor lrancls 8uLler Pead of School of 8lo sysLems nglneerlng uCu
We would llke Lo open by Lhanklng Lhe chalrman and members of Lhe commlLLee for allowlng us Lhe opporLunlLy Lo presenL our vlews on Lhe lssues surroundlng Lhe proposed ban of Lhe sale of raw mllk for dlrecL human consumpLlon
lf lL ls an accepLable formaL Lo Lhe commlLLee l (llsabeLh 8yan) wlll lnLroduce you Lo Lhe aLLendees and provlde a brlef ouLllne of our campalgn kevln Sherldan wlll Lhen speak Lo you abouL Lhe maln concerns we have ln relaLlon Lo Lhe proposed ban on Lhe sale of raw llquld mllk uarlna Allen would also llke Lo address you brlefly prlor Lo Lhe quesLlon perlod Lo speak abouL Lhe wlder socleLal lmpllcaLlons ralsed by Lhls proposed ban
rofessor lrancls 8uLler wlll be avallable Lo answer quesLlons on Lhe occurrence of paLhogens ln raw mllk and rlsk assessmenL ln foods as well as any oLher quesLlons of a speclflcally sclenLlflc naLure whlch may arlse uavld 1lernan larmer and roducer of raw mllk ls ln aLLendance Lo answer any speclflc quesLlons concernlng hls experlence as a dalry farmer produclng raw mllk for sale
We would welcome quesLlons on any aspecLs of Lhe lssue
We lnLend Lo demonsLraLe LhaL Lhe recommendaLlon Lo Lhe governmenL LhaL Lhe sale of raw mllk be banned ls an enLlrely dlsproporLlonaLe response Lo Lhe rlsks assoclaLed and LhaL Lhe wlder socleLal lssues surroundlng Lhe ban of a naLural foodsLuff ralse serlous quesLlons abouL Lhe dlrecLlon of a pollcy Lowards sLerlllsaLlon of our food aL Lhe expense of our herlLage and freedom of cholce We have ma[or concerns ln relaLlon Lo Lhe ban and Lhe precedence whlch lL seLs We recognlse LhaL Lhere are poLenLlal rlsks LheoreLlcally assoclaLed wlLh Lhe consumpLlon of raw mllk we would also however polnL ouL LhaL Lhere are rlsks assoclaLed wlLh Lhe consumpLlon of all food as well as lnherenLly ln almosL everyLhlng we do We deslre LhaL a sysLem of regulaLlons deslgned Lo mlnlmlse Lhe rlsks assoclaLed wlLh Lhe sale of raw mllk are devlsed and lmplemenLed lL ls our suggesLlon LhaL a reasonable compromlse Lo Lhls end ls LhaL a plloL sLudy be esLabllshed ln order Lo assess Lhe Lrue rlsk assoclaLed wlLh Lhe sale of raw mllk by farmers operaLlng Lo a hlgh code of pracLlse resenLaLlon Lo SelecL ClreachLas CommlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and AgrlculLure Comblned uocumenLs
1hls lssue appears Lo cenLre on Lhe poLenLlal damage Lo lreland's food safeLy repuLaLlon a polnL whlch we would dlspuLe
MAIN SU8S1ANCL CI CIN1S 1he C8,l are calllng for Lhe governmenL Lo cease Lhelr currenL plans for a draconlan ouLrlghL ban We belleve LhaL everyone has a r|ght to choose Lo drlnk one of lreland's premlum producLs whlch has a rlghLfully esLeemed place ln our food herlLage lnformed consumers should have Lhe rlghL Lo declde for Lhemselves whaL Lhey eaL and drlnk
1he norma| procedure for food product|on |s to |ntroduce regu|at|ons Lo mlnlmlse any poLenLlal rlsks Lo publlc healLh noL Lo lssue bans
ln 2008 a publlc consulLaLlon was underLaken regardlng Lhe sale of raw goaL's and sheep's mllk and 17 submlsslons were recelved Sheeps and goaLs mllk however accounLs for [usL 136 of LoLal mllk ouLpuL ln lreland We cannoL undersLand why the government has not had a pub||c consu|tat|on |n re|at|on to cows m||k Why also have requesLs made under lCl been denled?
Clven Lhe grow|ng consumer demand for raw m||k we belleve LhaL lL ls lnevlLable LhaL sales of raw mllk on some level wlll conLlnue desplLe any ban A compleLe lack of regulaLlon poses a far greaLer danger Lo publlc healLh Lhan would an educaLed sysLem of regulaLlons deslgned by Lhe governmenL ln assoclaLlon wlLh relevanL sLakeholders from Lhe farmlng and food communlLles lL ls our bellef LhaL Lhe governmenL should be worklng wlLh raLher Lhan agalnsL small farmers and LhaL Lhelr alm should be Lo help farmers produce raw mllk safely
kaw m||k product|on |s a very rea| and v|ab|e bus|ness mode| for sma|| farmers servlclng Lhelr local communlLles who could modlfy exlsLlng faclllLles ln order Lo boLLle onslLe wlLh only a relaLlvely modesL lnvesLmenL and would be happy Lo operaLe under falr regulaLlons CurrenLly farmers selllng Lhelr raw mllk Lo Coops geL around 33c per llLre 1hese farmers could sell Lhelr raw mllk dlrecL Lo Lhe publlc aL a reLall prlce of approxlmaLely t130 t200 per llLre 1he average prlce of a llLre of pasLeurlsed homogenlsed commerclallyprocessed mllk ln supermarkeLs ranges from t120 t160
k|sks are |nherent |n a|| foods consumed as was demonsLraLed by Lhe recenL ouLbreak ln Cermany CLher food are noL slmply banned CounLrles slmllarly rellanL on exporLs such as new Zealand allow Lhe regulaLed sale of raw mllk as do many of our u nelghbours
We would welcome and encourage speclflc regulaLlons surroundlng Lhe producLlon and sale of raw mllk ln order Lo mlnlmlse and manage poLenLlal rlsks As wlLh any oLher food proper regu|at|ons are a|ways necessary and correct ln facL lL ls by no means deslrable LhaL every dalry farm ln lreland be permlLLed Lo sell raw mllk Powever by bannlng raw mllk we are sendlng Lhe message Lo Lhe world LhaL we don'L LrusL our regulaLors we don'L LrusL our farmers and we don'L LrusL our mllk
Internat|ona| keputat|on of Ir|sh Da|ry lnLernaLlonal repuLaLlon seems Lo be Lhe core lssue of concern We wanL Lo ensure as does Lhe governmenL LhaL Lhe lrlsh dalry lndusLry conLlnues Lo flourlsh 1he deparLmenL of agrlculLure belleve LhaL by allowlng Lhe sale of raw mllk ln lreland we are rlsklng serlous damage Lo our lnLernaLlonal repuLaLlon as a producer of 'safe' dalry foods We belleve LhaL Lhls rlsk ls masslvely oversLaLed 1here ls no evldence LhaL a reporLed lllness ln lreland due Lo Lhe consumpLlon of raw mllk would have any lmpacL on Lhe sale of pasLeurlsed dalry producLs Accordlng Lo Lhe lSAl Lhere have been Lwo cases of lllness ln lreland due Lo consumpLlon of raw mllk over Lhe pasL number of years nelLher of Lhese cases caused any harm Lo lreland dalry sales or repuLaLlon lurLhermore lf Lhls ban ls lmplemenLed Lhe consumpLlon of raw mllk ln lreland wlll decrease by only a very small percenLage and so any rlsk of an lllness due Lo Lhe consumpLlon of raw resenLaLlon Lo SelecL ClreachLas CommlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and AgrlculLure Comblned uocumenLs
mllk wlll decrease by only Lhe smallesL margln as farmers and Lhelr famllles wlll conLlnue Lo drlnk Lhelr own mllk ln Lurn Lhe rlsk Lo our lnLernaLlonal repuLaLlon wlll remaln lL could be argued LhaL by deprlvlng Lhe publlc of a source of regulaLed raw mllk we wlll lncrease Lhe consumpLlon from unregulaLed sources and so lncrease Lhe rlsk of lllness and ln Lurn Lhe poLenLlal of damage Lo our lnLernaLlonal repuLaLlon ln Lhe modern age of fasL communlcaLlon and soclal medla Lhere ls always a rlsk of mlslnformaLlon spreadlng rapldly Lhls ls Lhe case for any of our food sLuffs or oLher lndusLrles we cannoL allow Lhe fear of poLenLlal rumour and sensaLlonallsm Lo lnfluence Lhe declslons we make around Lhe rlghLs of our clLlzens Lo consume Lhe foods of Lhelr cholce
A Way Iorward Cne posslblllLy would be Lo lnLroduce a plloL programme whlch would allow for Lhe llmlLed sale of raw mllk under conLrolled condlLlons by a small number of dalry farmers xacL sLlpulaLlons could be agreed Lo by all parLles
roposal for an alLernaLlve Lo an ouLrlghL ban on Lhe sale of raw mllk
A worklng group ls seL up comprlslng of represenLaLlves of Lhe ueparLmenL of PealLh Lhe ueparLmenL of AgrlculLure and Lhe lSAl along wlLh lndusLry represenLaLlves
1he group ls glven a flxed perlod of Llme Lo agree regulaLlons a code of besL pracLlse and labelllng requlremenLs whlch would mlnlmlse Lhe publlc healLh rlsks from Lhe sale of raw mllk buL would also allow for consumer cholce
uurlng Lhls perlod only llcensed dalrles LhaL are approved by uAll Lo process mllk for sale would be allowed Lo sell llquld raw mllk
lnLerlm labelllng requlremenLs would be lnLroduced lmmedlaLely
AL Lhe end of Lhls perlod Lhe ,lnlsLer for AgrlculLure and ,lnlsLer for PealLh would be ln a beLLer poslLlon Lo make an lnformed declslon based on Lhe alLernaLlve opLlon of regulaLed sales versus an ouLrlghL ban
kLSCNSL 1C ISAI SU8MISSICN
1he followlng ls a dlrecL response Lo Lhe presenLaLlon made by Lhe lood SafeLy AuLhorlLy of lreland Lo Lhls Lhe selecL commlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and AgrlculLure lease noLe LhaL lesL Lhls opporLunlLy for us Lo respond be seen as an advanLage all vlews of Lhe campalgn have prevlously been communlcaLed Lo Lhe lSAl as well as belng avallable on our webslLe
kegu|at|on of the sa|e of Unpasteur|sed M||k
1lmellne from Lhe polnL of vlew of Lhe wlder publlc ln relaLlon Lo Lhe ban
A consulLaLlon was held ln 2008 relaLlng Lo 13 of llquld mllk le goaL's and sheep's mllk 1he 2006 u 8egulaLlons whlch allowed for sale of raw mllk unforLunaLely escaped Lhe noLlce of Lhe food and farmlng communlLy unLll 2010 AfLer Lhe sLory was lnvesLlgaLed by [ournallsL lla ,cSweeney we reallsed LhaL sales were legal ConcurrenL Lo Lhls we were advlsed by Lhe lSAl of Lhe lnLenLlon LhaL Lhe sale would be banned once agaln Sales of raw mllk from a small number of producers followed and Lhe campalgn was formed earller Lhls year
,alnLenance of Lhe SLaLus Cuo resenLaLlon Lo SelecL ClreachLas CommlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and AgrlculLure Comblned uocumenLs
,any developmenLs ln herd managemenL hyglene and LesLlng mean LhaL prevlous laws enLlrely prohlblLlng Lhe sale of raw mllk however long esLabllshed are no longer necessary
ln 2006 wlLh Lhe lnLroducLlon of new uropean regulaLlons on food hyglene boLh ulrecLlve 92/46/C and Sl no 9 of 1996 became redundanL As a resulL Lhe sLaLuLory basls for prohlblLlng Lhe sale of raw mllk ceased lL ls Lhe oplnlon of many LhaL currenL uropean hyglene regulaLlons (8egulaLlon 833/2004/C) are already speclflc enough Lo effecLlvely regulaLe Lhe sale of raw mllk ln lreland laylng down as Lhey do speclflc crlLerla for farmers engaged ln Lhe producLlon of raw mllk and raw mllk producLs for dlrecL human consumpLlon
1he lSAl presenLaLlon advlsed Lhls commlLLee LhaL whaL ls currenLly proposed by Lhe ,lnlsLer for AgrlculLure llsherles and lood ls ln reallLy a reLurn Lo Lhe sLaLus quo from 1996 however developmenLs ln Lhe lasL flfLeen years have resulLed ln lncreased consumer demand for raw mllk as well as changes ln our undersLandlng of herd managemenL and lncreased hyglene
lL ls well accepLed ln lreland aL Lhe momenL LhaL we need Lo apply new Lhlnklng Lo all sorLs of dlfferenL pollcles 1he hlsLorlcal slLuaLlon wlLh Lhe legallLy of raw mllk should have no real lmpacL on Lhe declslon we face now ln 2011 as Lo wheLher we should lmplemenL a ban on lLs sale
Adv|ce from the Iood Safety Author|ty of Ire|and
lL ls our bellef LhaL subsequenL Lo Lhe 2006 hyglene regulaLlons Lhe lSAl soughL Lo gaLher sclenLlflc daLa ln order Lo supporL Lhelr concluslon LhaL raw mllk should be banned and LhaL 'Lhe sLaLus quo' be malnLalned We however feel LhaL Lhe sLarLlng polnL should have been a blank slaLe wlLh a speclflc sLudy carrled ouL Lo assess Lrue rlsk We belleve LhaL Lhe sysLem whlch underlles Lhe recommendaLlon for a ban needs Lo be quesLloned and unforLunaLely LhaL Lhls also ralses quesLlons abouL all of Lhe meLhods whlch Lhe lSAl use Lo deLermlne food pollcy ln general We also belleve LhaL a full publlc consulLaLlon on Lhe maLLer oughL Lo have been carrled ouL
ZoonoLlc 1uberculosls and lood SafeLy 2008 ln addlLlon Lo an excerpL provlded by Lhe lSAl Lhe flrsL concluslon drawn aL Lhe end of LhaL documenL ls LhaL cotteot lofotmotloo sbows tbot bomoo 2ooootlc tobetcolosls ls oocommoo lo ltelooJ
ln relaLlon Lo meaL Lhe same reporL says 1be tlsk lf ooy ftom tbe coosomptloo of meot solJ os meot fot bomoo coosomptloo followloq offlclol coottols cooJocteJ by tbe competeot ootbotlty lo obottolts lo ltelooJ ls
ln a reporL Lo Lhe uk lood SLandards Agency by Lhe Advlsory CommlLLee on Lhe ,lcroblologlcal SafeLy of lood complled Lhls year Lhey concluded LhaL Lhe rlsk of Lransmlsslon of 18 Lhrough raw mllk ls 1he uk have approxlmaLely 20 Llmes Lhe naLlonal lncldence of 18 as does lreland and operaLes half Lhe amounL of herd LesLs
ln relaLlon Lo mllk Lhe lSAl say LhaL low rlsk ls sLlll unaccepLable rlsk ln Lhelr own documenL Lhey sLaLe Lhe rlsk from meaL also as very low" Why ls a very low rlsk accepLable for meaL buL noL for mllk?
1he revenLlon of verocyLoLoxlgenlc scbetlcblo coll (v1C) lnfecLlon 2010 resenLaLlon Lo SelecL ClreachLas CommlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and AgrlculLure Comblned uocumenLs
ln Lhls reporL lL ls sLaLed on page 7 uolty fotmets coo mlolmlse tbe tlsk ossocloteJ wltb tbe coosomptloo of tow mllk ooJ Jolty ptoJocts moJe wltb tow mllk by ptoctlcloq blqb byqleolc stooJotJs Jotloq mllkloq
1able 14 loods |mp||cated or suspected of belng assoclaLed wlLh naLlonal and/or lnLernaLlonal v1C ouLbreaks (AC 16)
,lnced meaL 8aw mllk Seed sprouLs (radlsh alfalfacress) urlnklng waLer (publlc supplles prlvaLe wells) 8eefburgers asLeurlsed mllk Salad ,ayonnalse lermenLed meaLs eg dry salaml and pepperonl Cheese (boLh from raw and pasLeurlsed mllk unpasLeurlsed apple [ulce 8ladeLenderlsed beef ?oghurL LeLLuce Cooked meaLs unpasLeurlsed cream Splnach oLaLoes
8aw ,llk ls llsLed agaln laLer as a poLenLlal source" of v1C 1he reporL descrlbes laLer LhaL ConLamlnaLlon can occur elLher durlng mllklng or posL pasLeurlsaLlon due Lo poor hyglene pracLlces" and descrlbes how coll C137P7 can survlve durlng Lhe rlpenlng and exLended sLorage of some cheeses (,aher et ol 2001 Schlesser et ol 2006) 1herefore raw mllk desLlned for cheese manufacLure may consLlLuLe a poLenLlal source of lnfecLlon especlally wlLh respecL Lo sofL and semlsofL cheeses"
v1C lsolaLes have been ldenLlfled from bovlne and caprlne herds supplylng mllk Lo Lhe farmhouse cheese secLor ln lreland (,urphy et ol 2007) AlLhough all producLs LesLed from Lhese holdlngs were v1C negaLlve lL ls posslble LhaL v1C may be presenL perlodlcally"
1he above flndlngs ln our oplnlon do noL supporL Lhe concluslons drawn LhaL 1he pracLlce of consumlng raw mllk and mllk producLs poses an unaccepLable rlsk Lo healLh"
8ecommendaLlons for a racLlcal ConLrol rogramme for CampylobacLer ln Lhe oulLry roducLlon and SlaughLer Chaln 1hough sllghLly off Loplc lL ls worLh referrlng Lo Lhls documenL for Lwo reasons llrsL for Lhe alarmlng sLaLlsLlcs LhaL 83 of commerclal chlckens presenLed for slaughLer LesLed poslLlve for CampylobacLer and LhaL aL Lhe end of Lhe slaughLer process 98 carcasses were poslLlve ln addlLlon 13 of exLernal labels LesLed poslLlve
1hls documenL ls relevanL Lo us here for Lhe followlng vlewpolnL whlch ls applled Lo chlckens lL ls our bellef LhaL a slmllar mlndseL Lowards lnLroduclng regulaLlons for raw mllk should be applled 1blooloq ot pottlol Jepopolotloo ls o ptocess wbeteby o pottloo of o flock ls temoveJ fot slooqbtet opptoxlmotely ooe week befote tbe temoloJet of tbe flock 1bls ptoctlce locteoses tbe tlsk of lofectloo wltb compyloboctet spp 1be ooswets to tbe tlsk moooqemeot poestloos oJJtesseJ lo tbls tepott ote moJe oo tbe bosls tbot tblooloq of flocks ls cotteot loJostty ptoctlce ooJ tbot tbete ls oo lmmeJlote llkellbooJ tbot lt wlll be ellmlooteJ
1haL Lhe lSAl wlll noL recommend Lhe consumpLlon of raw mllk ls undenlable however Lhe lSAl also does noL recommend parLlal depopulaLlon of Lhe flocks ln Lhe producLlon of chlcken elLher yeL Lhey can sLlll recommend guldellnes surroundlng Lhls ln order Lo reduce rlsks
1ransmlsslon of 18 ngland and Wales wlLh a greaLly hlgher herd lncldence of 18 allow Lhe regulaLed sales of raw mllk asLeurlsaLlon alone ln noL responslble for breaklng Lhe llnk ln lreland raw mllk cheese producers herds are LesLed every 6 monLhs and Lhls Lhen ls consldered accepLable for raw mllk cheese 1he same reglme can be puL ln place for farmers lnLendlng Lo produce raw mllk for sale resenLaLlon Lo SelecL ClreachLas CommlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and AgrlculLure Comblned uocumenLs
1he slngle case ln Lhe lasL decade whlch llnks consumpLlon Lo raw mllk occurred ln 2003 1hls farm had a hlsLory of boLh 18 lndlcaLors and conflrmed cases ln Lhe herd ln Lhe years preceedlng 1hls would have precluded Lhls parLlcular farm from selllng raw mllk under exlsLlng u regulaLlons
wblle tbe Aotbotlty tecoqolses tbot tbe stooJotJs of Jolty byqleoe ooJ oolmol beoltb bove lmptoveJ qteotly lo teceot yeots lt ls vlttoolly lmposslble to ptoJoce tow mllk ooJet commetclol ptoJoctloo cooJltloos tbot coo be qootooteeJ potboqeo ftee
Why musL raw mllk have zero rlsk? 1bete ls oo fooJ tbot ls obsolotely ftee of tlsk to tbe coosomet lottbetmote tbete ls oo woy to ellmloote oll fooJbotoe llloesses ftom tbe coosomloq pobllc 1o set stooJotJs boseJ oo totolly ellmlootloq fooJbotoe llloess ot boseJ oo o ptloclple of zeto toletooce ls oosoppotteJ by scleotlflc ptloclples lo qeoetol ooJ pobllc beoltb scleoce lo speclflc u8 1u 8ALS 8SC ,SC ,u
8lsks ln raw mllk lnLended for pasLeurlsaLlon are besL conLrolled by pasLeurlsaLlon a remarkably useful conLrol measure lndeed wlLh undenlable effecLlveness Powever for Lhls very separaLe producL whlch we are dlscusslng 8aw ,llk Lhere do exlsL oLher conLrol measures whlch can reduce rlsks
eer revlewed llLeraLure regardlng healLh beneflLs assoclaLed wlLh raw mllk does exlsL as each year goes by we learn more and more abouL nuLrlLlon for example faLs are belng vlewed very dlfferenLly now Lhan [usL a couple of years ago
What |s pasteur|sat|on?
lookloq bock ovet teceot blstoty posteotlsotloo of mllk wos ooe of tbe qteotest pobllc beoltb ocblevemeots of tbe 20tb ceototy 5loce lt wos lottoJoceJ os tbe ootm fot motketloq mllk lt soveJ tboosooJs of llves lo ltelooJ ooJ pteveoteJ eootmoos levels of bomoo soffetloq lo oJJltloo lt soveJ tbe 5tote mlllloos of oto lo beoltb cote costs ooJ ptotecteJ tbe tepototloo of ltlsb uolty loJostty os ptoJocets of sofe ooJ poollty ptoJocts
Oo bls JeotbbeJ lools losteot stoteJ tbot tbe 1ettolo ls evetytbloq tbe Cetm ls ootbloq et bls wotk boseJ oo tbe tbeoty tbot tbe bomoo boJy ls stetlle ooJ tbot lottoJoceJ qetms ot mlctobes coose Jlseose bos petslsteJ lo moJeto meJlcloe ootll telotlvely teceotly wbeteos we ote beqlooloq oow to qolo oo ooJetstooJloq tbot tbe tettolo ot lotetool eovltoomeot ls tbe most lmpottoot foctot to bomoo Jlseose
1he polnL here ls a wlder one abouL Lhe dlrecLlon ln whlch Lhe governmenL's pollcy Lowards food safeLy ls Laklng Lhe healLh of our naLlon ln an efforL Lo proLecL us wlLhln a zero rlsk envlronmenL we may well be golng down a paLh whlch lnsLead damages our populaLlon A naLlon of unexposed sLerlle belngs uLLerly succepLable Lo all dlsease
Why ls Lhe urban populaLlon less lmmune could lL be llnked Lo our conLlnued excesslve food safeLy pollcles?
1he lSAl now dlsmlsses Lhe ldea of uslng recorded cases of lllnesses Lhls sclenLlflc body lnsLead prefers Lo rely on LheoreLlcal poLenLlal rlsks? AL Lhe commencemenL of publlc debaLe relaLlng Lo Lhls campalgn Lhe lSAl referred ln Lhe medla and durlng a publlc debaLe wlLh us Lo four lllnesses slnce belng asked Lo provlde full deLalls Lhls dlmlnlshed flrsL Lo 3 and Lhen Lo 2 and now Lhey would raLher noL refer Lo any? resenLaLlon Lo SelecL ClreachLas CommlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and AgrlculLure Comblned uocumenLs
Pavlng revlewed Lhe cases lL Lurns ouL LhaL lf regulaLed farmers were produclng Lhe mllk ln Lhe 2 documenLed cases Lhey would have been prevenLed from selllng as herd healLh would noL have meL currenL crlLerla for Lhe producLlon of raw mllk
We esLlmaLe over 100'000 members of farmlng famllles consume raw mllk and Lhls ls from unregulaLed farms where Lhe mllk ls desLlned for Lhe mosL parL for pasLeurlsaLlon lf raw mllk consumpLlon were as rlsky as Lhe lSAl would have us belleve we would have a loL more Lhan 2 cases of lllnesses ln Lhe lasL decade
1hls appears Lo be Lhe flrsL Llme slnce lLs lncepLlon LhaL Lhe lSAl's sclenLlflc evldence behlnd a pollcy / recommendaLlon has been broughL ln Lo quesLlon and we Lhlnk LhaL Lhere are sufflclenL quesLlons relaLlng Lo Lhe sclenLlflc daLa Lo suggesL LhaL much more lnformaLlon ls requlred before Laklng such a severe sLep as Lo lmplemenL Lhe ban of a naLural foodsLuff
What happens |n other countr|es?
1he lSAl have quoLed Lhe poslLlon of Lhe uk lSA Powever recenLly Lhe same body sLaLed ln response Lo a requesL Lo Lhem by ualry uk LhaL pollcy be revlewed sLaLed Ooe of oot scleotlflc commlttees lookeJ ot tbe tlsks of Jtlokloq tow mllk ooJ oftet cooslJetloq tbe cooclosloos tbe oqeocy JlJ oot feel cbooqes to lts pollcy wete oecessoty 1be cotteot teqolotloos sttlke o bolooce betweeo ptotectloq coosomet sofety ooJ ollowloq coosomet cbolce Aug 2011
1he followlng ls an excerpL from Lhe mlnuLes of a meeLlng of Lhe AC,Sl ln !anuary 2011
72 uoto ftom tbe neoltb ltotectloo Aqeocy oo ootbteoks of lofectloos lotestlool ulseose (llu) Joe to tow mllk ooJ cteom wete sommotlseJ Ootbteoks of bomoo llloess Joe to tow Jtlokloq mllk betweeo 1992 ooJ 2002 tepteseoteJ o smoll ptopottloo of tbe totol oombet of tepotteJ fooJbotoe ootbteoks Jotloq tbls petloJ No ootbteoks of llu Joe to tow mllk ot cteom boJ beeo tepotteJ lo tbe lost elqbt yeots
8egardless of any labelllng requlremenLs Lhe only oLher counLrles ln urope where raw mllk ls ln facL lllegal are uenmark Spaln and ScoLland
1he lSAl sLaLed LhaL ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes Lhe sale of raw mllk ls banned ln abouL 30 of Lhe SLaLes"
ln facL Sales of raw mllk are speclflcally banned ln 14 sLaLes ln Lhe uS 29 SLaLes allow sales ln some form and 7 sLaLes have no speclflc regulaLlons
lL should be noLes LhaL whlle Lhe body lSAnZ ls revlewlng regulaLlons new Zealand has chosen Lo apply dlfferenL regulaLlons speclflc Lo lLself Lhan are under revlew by lSAnZ ln relaLlon Lo raw mllk and raw mllk producLs Lhey have chosen Lo Lake a dlfferenL paLh whlch allows for Lhe sale of raw mllk and raw mllk cheeses whllsL AusLralla appears deLermlned Lo malnLaln prohlblLlon on all excepL hard cooked cheese made wlLh raw mllk
Conc|us|on
1he advlce of Lhe lSAl cannoL of course be lgnored or dlsmlssed ouL of hand Powever lL musL be balanced properly wlLh wlder socleLal lssues such as consumer cholce ,any oLher counLrles are of Lhe same oplnlon and successfully conLlnue Lo sLrlke Lhls same balance
asLeurlsaLlon ls undenlably Lhe mosL wldely used and mosL effecLlve conLrol measure Lo allow Lhe general publlc access Lo mllk and dalry produce lor Lhose who knowlngly wlsh Lo consume raw mllk however oLher conLrol measures are avallable resenLaLlon Lo SelecL ClreachLas CommlLLee on CommunlcaLlons naLural 8esources and AgrlculLure Comblned uocumenLs
Lxcerpt from a De|ph| Study Invest|gat|on |nto the Ut|||ty of App|y|ng nACC r|nc|p|es at Iarm Leve| to M|n|m|ze the k|sk of athogen|c 8acter|a |n Iarm M||k
Introduct|on ] Lxp|anatory Notes from CkMI 8elow ls a shorL documenL whlch ls a slngle page excerpL from Lhe uelphl sLudy LhaL rofessor 8uLler presenLed aL Lhe C'uonovan 8ossa lood SafeLy School ln ClonakllLy recenLly
1bls toble ls ooe of tbe sllJes l pteseoteJ ooJ ls ptobobly tbe most televoot lo tbe cotteot Jebote lt tooks tbe oploloos of 27 tespooJeots Jtowo ftom 1eoqosc l5Al tbe uolvetsltles ooJ uAll wbo wete oskeJ o setles of sttoctoteJ poestloos telotloq to tbe poteotlol oppllcotloo of nAccl lo Jolty fotms 1be tookloq sbowo oo tbe ottocbeJ Jocomeot ls esseotlolly o sommotloo of tbe scotes tbot tbe loJlvlJool tespooJeot qove to eocb of tbe potboqeos lt teflects tbot tbese ote tbe potboqeos of cooceto lo tow mllk bot Joes oot oJJtess tbe moqoltoJe of tbe tlsk rofessor lrancls 8uLler
1hls documenL Lhen provldes a brlef background Lo sclenLlflc oplnlon regardlng Lhe level of paLhogens ln bulk Lank raw mllk and provldes a basls for Lhe !olnL ClreachLas CommlLLee Lo quesLlon rofessor 8uLler on hls oplnlons of Lhe Lrue rlsk Lo publlc healLh of raw mllk based on hls sLudles lL should be noLed LhaL Lhls sLudy refers Lo bulk Lank mllk and LhaL rofessor 8uLler may also have relevanL oplnlons abouL dlfferlng poLenLlal levels of paLhogens where rlsk reducLlon measures may have been puL ln place as ls suggesLed for Lhe producers of raw mllk for dlrecL human consumpLlon
rofessor Iranc|s 8ut|er nead of 8|osystems Schoo| of Lng|neer|ng UCD fbuLler[ucdle h 01 716 7473 ,ob 087 414 7073 Lxcerpt from a De|ph| Study Invest|gat|on |nto the Ut|||ty of App|y|ng nACC r|nc|p|es at Iarm Leve| to M|n|m|ze the k|sk of athogen|c 8acter|a |n Iarm M||k at Doy|e Iranc|s 8ut|er UCD Schoo| of 8|osystems Lng|neer|ng
CuesLlon 6 8lsk rank Lhe paLhogens below from 1 Lo 3 ln order of lmporLance whlch ln your vlew are a food safeLy rlsk ln raw bulk Lank mllk