In July 2020, the Swiss Institute Agroscope published a review study entitled: Raw milk and raw milk products affect human health – a literature study.
Below is the translated summary and a link to the report. The three authors, Peter Bachmann, Marie-Therese Frölich and Walter Bisig summarize their insight as follows: Raw milk and raw milk products can affect our health in a positive and negative way. It is important not to overestimate the negative impact and not to underestimate the positive effects. Knowledge how to produce safe raw milk has improved significantly in recent years, and farmers certified for raw milk sales are now producing raw milk with a hygienic quality that approximates pasteurized milk. There is also sufficient knowledge today to produce raw milk cheese that has a food safety comparable to that of cheese made from pasteurized milk. The consumption of raw milk and raw milk products in childhood reduces the risk of asthma, hay fever and allergies and protects against nose-, ear- and respiratory infections, as a large number of epidemiological studies have shown. Because of the great microbial diversity, raw milk and raw milk products have a positive effect on the diversity of the gut microbiome. The intestinal microbes have many effects on humans: in addition to the immunological functions, the production of vitamins and the breakdown of dietary fibers, they have metabolic properties that are involved in the prevention of obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Microbes can even affect our mental health positively. The greatest possible diversity of the microbiome present in the intestine is essential for all these functions.
Bachmann H.-P., Fröhlich M.-T., Bisig W. (2020). Rohmilch und Rohmilchprodukte beeinflussen unsere Gesundheit. Agrarforschung Schweiz 11, 124–130, 2020
