Raw milk risks should have been highlighted

DARINA ALLEN (Weekend, June 21) writes that a 2006 study showed “a couple of glasses of unpasteurised milk a week reduced the risk of allergy-related conditions such as eczema and hay fever in children”.

However, conclusions from the study only claim unpasteurised milk “might” be responsible for the positive results.

In addition, EU researchers who carried out a similar 2007 study state: “We cannot recommend consumption of raw (unpasteurised) farm milk as a preventative measure against asthma and allergies” due to the fact that “raw milk may contain pathogens such as salmonella or enterohaemorrhagic E coli and its consumption may have serious health risks.”