The Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) has hit back at claims that the country’s regulations for raw milk are too strict.
A review article in Svenska Dagbladet says raw unpasteurized milk is almost impossible to buy in Sweden, regulations is an example of state control with good intentions but with negative consequences.
Ann-Helene Meyer von Bremen and Martin Ragnar say the rules place too much emphasis on risks and not enough emphasis on benefits.
In Sweden, unpasteurized milk cannot be bought in stores, but can be sold or given away from farms directly to consumers. Farms that want to sell unpasteurized milk must register with local authorities.
Once registered, they can sell up to 70 litres of unpasteurised milk per week to the public. Written information must be provided to consumers that milk is unpasteurized and may contain harmful bacteria. It is recommended that milk be boiled or used in dishes that have been heat-treated before consumption. Children and people with weakened immune systems should not drink milk without heat treatment.
Views of the authorities
In response to this article, Mats Lindblad from Livsmedelsverket said it is not true that drinking unpasteurized milk is low risk as it may contain several different types of bacteria that can make people sick.
E. Take Escherichia coli, a bacterium sometimes found in dairy cows. It can have very serious consequences, as the infection can damage the kidneys of young children and, in severe cases, lead to death.
One of the main goals of Livsmedelsverket is to ensure that consumers do not get sick from food. The sale of unpasteurized milk is regulated, which is considered to be one of the few associated diseases in recent years possible explanation.
The agency said it had studied the benefits and risks of drinking unpasteurized milk, acknowledging research on vitamin content in milk before and after pasteurization and reductions in allergies in children raised on farms . Overall, the assessment found that the risks of unpasteurized milk outweigh any benefits.
Meanwhile, Livsmedelsverket revealed that it closed a business earlier this month due to poor hygiene.
Al Hana Mejeri AB is also prohibited from selling food. All food produced or sold by the company must be removed from the store and disposed of. People with any affected items in their homes were told not to eat them. The item is marked as Al Hana Mejeri.
The company mainly produces dairy products such as yogurt and cheese, but also offers goods including olive oil. Most products are sold to stores in Skåne, but they may also be passed on to other companies.
(Sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, Click here.)
