Milk-and-Dairy-Products-in-Human-Nutrition-FAO

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Milk and dairy products in human nutrition
Listeria in deli meats and Salmonella in poultry (Batz, Hoffman and Glenn Morris
Jr., 2011). In the United Kingdom, where milk is commonly pasteurized, it is
estimated that less than two percent of all food-borne diseases are attributable to
milk (Casemore, 2004).
Examples of outbreaks of food-borne illnesses involving milk and dairy products
are presented in Table 6.5.
6.4 Assessing risk and prioritization of food-safety risks
associated with milk and dairy products
All foods have the potential to cause food-borne illness, and an assessment of risk
and understanding the likelihood of hazards being present is the basis for determining
effective prevention and control measures to achieve the appropriate level of
protection. Evaluating which hazards are most likely to be present in milk/dairy
products requires knowledge and data specific to the product and place of production.
For instance, microbiological or chemical hazards that are not relevant or
present in the geographical area of concern can be ruled out at an early stage. Where
it can be verified that certain control measures are successfully applied to prevent or
significantly reduce introduction of a pathogen or chemical into the herd, including
efficient eradication programmes, the pathogen/chemical in question can be ruled
out. In contrast, any hazards that can be introduced into the milk product during
and after processing (from the environment or human contamination) should be
considered. An understanding of the intended use of the product and the final
consumer is also an essential aspect of managing risk. For example, when assessing
milk as a source of contaminants and pathogens, etc., particular attention should
be paid to infants and children as they may have increased risk of exposure as they
consume larger quantities of milk and dairy products relative to their body weight
than adults, and their dietary patterns are often less varied.
Where available, data and documentation on the effectiveness of national
programmes, the effectiveness of individual producer screening programmes and
epidemiological and other historical data that have been associated with the type of
product will greatly assist in assessing the prioritization of food-safety risks associated
with milk and dairy products.
Consumer behaviour and preferences can also have a bearing on risk. In some
countries, consumers prefer to buy raw milk and boil it themselves rather than
pay more for pasteurized, packaged milk, while other consumers in the same areas
will choose to consume raw milk, because they believe that this milk is more pure,
natural and healthy than industrialized milk (e.g. pasteurized, ultra high temperature
[UHT]). In Kenya, high-income consumers express the same preference for raw
milk as those with lower income. As a result, the market for raw milk and traditional
products can dominate the dairy sector in developing countries – over 90 percent
of the dairy market in Tanzania and Uganda, 83 percent in India and 85 percent in
Kenya is through informal channels (Omore et al., 2001). There is also a trend among
some consumers in developed countries to consume unpasteurized milk in the belief
that is healthier (Hegarty et al., 2002). Different products may present different
food-safety hazards and it is important to consider the intrinsic risks associated with
milk and individual dairy products as well as other extrinsic risk factors (industry
practices, supply chain and consumer preferences) as part of risk assessment.