--- title: E. coli and raw milk – the ongoing debate date: 2007-01-19T12:45:51-08:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/e-coli-and-raw-milk-the-ongoing-debate" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Outbreaks](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) / # E. coli and raw milk – the ongoing debate ![](http://www.ecoliblog.com/cow-face%281%29.jpg) Salon.com recently investigated the health benefits some people say they get from drinking it. They also looked into raw milk, cow shares, and organizations that promote raw milk consumption, and came to conclustions about raw milk: > Many people come to raw milk as a last resort; one man I spoke to for this article had terrible asthma, one woman had debilitating arthritis, and another had osteoporosis (which pasteurized milk hadn’t improved) — and all saw complete reversals of their diseases after a few months of drinking it. Their stories were persuasive, but in an age where E. coli is turning up at Taco Bell and even in organic spinach, I wondered: Is it really safe to drink unpasteurized milk? > > In a word: No. A scan of the CDC’s Web site turns up several recent bacterial outbreaks traced to raw milk: Last year in Washington and Oregon, four children were sickened by [E. coli O157:H7](http://www.about-ecoli.com/); in 2002, there was a multi-state outbreak of [Salmonella ](http://www.about-salmonella.com/)enterica serotype typhimurium; and in Wisconsin, in 2001, 70 people were infected with [Campylobacter](http://www.about-campylobacter.com/) jejuni. Such outbreaks were the reason pasteurization was introduced in the first place, of course (it was only an added benefit that the process also extended milk’s shelf life). As early as 1908, cities such as Chicago and New York required the pasteurization of milk — and in 1948, Michigan became the first state to ban raw milk. Today, though pasteurization is not compulsory on a national level, it is required of any dairy hoping to ship its wares across state lines and has become the law in states that have adopted the Food and Drug Administration’s pasteurized milk ordinance, an operating manual for the handling and production of milk. Public health officials unanimously agree that pasteurization has dramatically reduced infectious diseases. Marler Clark currently represents children who have become ill with E. coli infections and hemolytic uremic syndrome, requiring extensive medical treatment, after drinking contaminated raw milk. And while advocates claim that there are health benefits to drinking raw milk, the parents of these children would argue otherwise. ### Other E. coli Lawsuits [Raw Farms linked to another Raw Milk Cheese E.coli Outbreak - 9 People sickened - Company refuses to recall product](https://marlerclark.com/raw-farms-linked-to-another-raw-milk-cheese-e-coli-outbreak-7-people-sickened) [10 with E. coli linked to Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/3-with-e-coli-linked-to-cheese) [Sycamore Pool in Chico California Contaminated with E.coli - Two teens in ICU](https://marlerclark.com/sycamore-pool-in-chico-california-contaminated-with-e-coli-two-teens-in-icu) [Deadly Nationwide E.coli Outbreak Linked to Grimmway Farms Organic Baby and Whole Carrots sickens 48](https://marlerclark.com/nationwide-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-grimmway-farms-organic-baby-and-whole-carrots) [E. coli Outbreak tied to Red Cow and Hen House Restaurants](https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-outbreak-tied-to-red-cow-and-hen-house-restaurants) [Rockwood Summit High School E. coli Outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/rockwood-summit-high-school-e-coli-outbreak) [McDonalds linked to 104 E. coli cases and 1 Death](https://marlerclark.com/mcdonalds-linked-to-nearly-50-e-coli-cases-and-1-death) [2 dead with 22 injured in E. coli Hamburger Outbreak in Montana](https://marlerclark.com/1-dead-with-13-injured-in-e-coli-hamburger-outbreak-in-montana) [E. coli Outbreak in Washington and California linked to Walnuts](https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-outbreak-in-washington-and-california-linked-to-walnuts) [Seattle PCC Market E. coli outbreak linked to Guacamole](https://marlerclark.com/seattle-ppc-market-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-guacamole) [11 with E. coli linked to Raw Milk LLC Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/10-with-e-coli-linked-to-raw-milk-llc-cheese) [Miguel’s Cocina 4S Ranch E. coli Outbreak sickens 35](https://marlerclark.com/miguels-cocina-4s-ranch-e-coli-outbreak) ### Lawsuit updates about foodborne illnesses [Reactive Arthritis Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=reactive-arthritis&year=all) [E. coli Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=e-coli&year=all) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=guillain-barre-syndrome&year=all) [Salmonella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=salmonella&year=all) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hemolytic-uremic-syndrome&year=all) [Listeria Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=listeria&year=all) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=irritable-bowel-syndrome&year=all) [Hepatitis A Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hepatitis-a&year=all) [Norovirus Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=norovirus&year=all) [Botulism Lawsuit 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The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ Get a free consultation ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [E. coli Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so... ###### [E. coli O157:H7](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in... ###### [Non-O157 STEC](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least... ###### [Sources of E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/sources-of-e-coli) Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are... ###### [Transmission of and Infection with E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/transmission-of-and-infection-with-e-coli) While many dairy cattle-associated foodborne disease outbreaks are linked to raw milk and other raw dairy products (e.g., cheeses, butter, ice cream), dairy cattle still represent a source of contamination... ##### Outbreak Database #### Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ View Outbreak Database ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)