Some raw milk cheese you’re buying from large companies in the US may be falsely labeled. It isn’t raw at all—it’s been “subpasteurized”!
The Healthy Home Economist, a website run by Sarah Pope, recently ran a fascinating article detailing how large health food companies are tricking consumers into thinking they’re buying real raw milk cheese by “subpasteurizing” the product.
Federal regulation strictly defines pasteurization. According to federal law:
If the cheese is labeled as pasteurized, the milk shall be pasteurized by subjecting every particle of milk to a minimum temperature of 161 degrees Fahrenheit for not less than 15 [fifteen] seconds or by any other acceptable combination of temperature and time treatment approved by the Administrator.
In short, a cheese that has been heated to a temperature of below 161°F for under fifteen seconds—temperatures high enough to deactivate the critical enzymes which make raw milk cheese desirable—could still be labeled “raw.”
Now, the Healthy Home Economist reports that the Organic Valley company admits to “subpasteurizing” its products, but has not divulged details on what exactly this means. This seems to us to be a ruse to charge a premium for a product that is deceptively labeled and does not deliver the health benefits consumers are expecting when they purchase the product.
The moral of this story? When purchasing raw milk cheese, it’s best whenever possible to do so from a local cheese maker—particularly one with whom you can directly speak to find out how the product is made. It is worth making the effort to seek out food producers who deserve your trust. Organizations such as the Weston Price Foundation and the Cornucopia Institute can help.
The raw milk cheese I buy is from a small Vermont company. I have no reason to believe their cheese isn’t actually raw… is there a way to find out for sure? I don’t know any local raw cheese producers where I live.
After reading up on Weston Price’s work, I can see how the NWO doesn’t want us to have raw milk and raw cheese. It’s way too healthy.
Organic Valley has fallen too? Stoneyfield before them..
Why is it getting harder and harder to find quality food nowadays?
States that allow the legal sale of raw milk for human consumption have
more raw milk-related outbreaks of illness than states that do not allow
raw milk to be sold legally.
Tautology. States that allow the legal sale of pasteurized milk for human consumption have more pasteurized milk-related outbreaks of illness than states that do not allow pasteurized milk to be sold legally.
between 1912 and 1937 some 65,000 people died of tuberculosis contracted from consuming milk in England and Wales alone
Any more I do not think it matters. The hormones and antibiotics given to cows are found in the milk we drink and in us. As a kid I remember having milk with the cream still there and chilled. There is no comparison to the “whole” milk we get now. Young folks have no idea how great the flavor! I grew up on whole milk and still enjoy somewhat the milk we get today. It is not the same. The cows are forced to produce more milk and the stress of that is bad. Oh well, the epa knows best and will guide the NWO what should be for our best of being… Ha Ha..
What does the EPA have to do with this? If anything, it’s the USDA making the rules about farm animals. Blame them.
I know that that! I was testing if you knew! Hummmmm!! It ain’t’ my fault~~~~Some body else did that!!!!! Sad excuse but it is the truth just did not think!!