Raw milk - what the heck is it? Sounds like the opening line of an advert for my own wellness drink. But despite the unfortunate coincidence linking my surname to this title, I'm not here to sell you the latest health craze.
I live in the UK. I drink raw milk when I can find it, not because of any dubious health benefits but because it tastes better. I am well aware of the risks. The risks in different countries are not directly comparable. Per-capita there are four times as many food-poisoning cases reported in the USA than anywhere in the EU.
I’ve never eaten or drank anything unpasteurised in my life but after heart surgery in Nov 2025 I was told I had Endocarditis and was on antibiotics for months, which was followed by a case of Brucella. Phone calls and infectious disease appointments and chats with UKHSA and more antibiotics followed that… I never did find out how I caught either of those infections.