Drinking raw milk is 'an informed decision that comes with a risk' - Heydon
Drinking raw milk is "an informed decision that comes with a risk that people are aware of," the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has warned.
According to Minister Martin Heydon there is "a reason we pasteurise the milk that the vast majority of people use".
In response to a question raised by Independent TD, Barry Heneghan, the minister said that the advice of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is that the public "should not drink raw milk without boiling it first".
Deputy Heneghan had asked the minister if he would consider introducing changes to the regulatory framework on the sale of raw milk to consumers in Ireland.
He said that he cannot buy raw milk easily and he thinks that adults should be able to make decisions on what they consume.
Hygiene
Minister Heydon said: “In Ireland, the sale of raw milk for direct consumption is governed by legislation commonly known as the hygiene package. Regulation EC Nos. 852 and 853 of 2004 are particularly relevant.
“These regulations set out detailed rules for the production and sale of raw milk, including hygiene requirements for production on farm and the hygiene standards required when bottling milk.”
He added that there is also a specific rule for labelling, requiring raw milk to be labelled as such.
Any producer selling raw milk must also register with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and are subject to risk-based official controls, including inspection, audit, and sampling.
The minister added: “A derogation in EU and Irish legislation exempts producers selling small quantities of raw milk directly to consumers, that is, sales of less than 30L and within a radius of 20km, from these regulatory requirements.
“However, these producers are still bound by the general food law provision and they must only put safe food on the market".
The minister said this is based on advice from the authority’s scientific committee as there is a risk of illness associated with drinking raw milk.
He said: “There is a reason we pasteurise the milk the vast majority of people use.
“In 2018, the industry representative body Raw Milk Ireland published guidelines on the sale of raw milk.
“The guide was developed in conjunction with my department and the FSAI with the objective of helping producers understand the legal requirements and provide additional information to food business operators with a view to reducing the risks associated with raw milk.”decision that comes with a risk that people are aware of.
"The reason we cook our food and pasteurise our milk is to take away the risk of microbial problems".
