The National Milk Producers Federation issued the following statement in response to a report released today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest that questioned the safety of cheese and ice cream in its Top 10 list of riskiest foods in the United States:

This CSPI report, which appears to be based on outdated information, is not very helpful in discussing food safety trends, according to NMPF. Cheese and ice cream products are among the safest, most stringently regulated foods in this country. The cheese examples in this report mostly concern consumption of raw milk products, which neither FDA nor the dairy industry recommends. The ice cream example is 15 years old and was an isolated incident.

U.S. dairy products have an excellent food safety record, NMPF says. Dairy plants are inspected multiple times a year by state agencies, the FDA and USDA. Dairy foods go through rigorous safety and quality protocols before they reach the grocery store.

The dairy industry, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommend that no one consume unpasteurized milk. In fact, many states ban the sale of raw (unpasteurized) milk for human consumption, and federal law prohibits the retail sale of unpasteurized milk across state borders.

For more information, visit www.dairyfarmingtoday.org/DairyFarmingToday/Quality-And-Safety.