The U.S. dairy industry has utilized traditional heat-based pasteurization to make raw milk safe for more than 70 years. While these systems completely inactivate harmful bacteria in raw milk, some believe the nutritional value and flavor of milk is affected.
Regardless of your view, today there are viable alternatives to heat-based pasteurization. The characteristics and value of each alternative is explored below. The Food and Drug Administration has stated that any alternative that can achieve a 5-log reduction of the most resistant bacteria in a measurable and reliable way could be used, once approved. Some of these technologies are being used in other countries.