Page 10 - Spring2013

Letters

will be heat treated. Had MRSA not reasons why farmers producing artisan do the same. You can do so here: http://
been found, the researchers could have raw milk, sold directly to consumers, www.ewg.org/contact/hq.
trotted out the long list of other contami- can command a price of between one Karen McFarland
nants frequently found in the milk of and two pounds per liter ($1.50 to $3), Mansfield, Texas
intensively farmed cows. Indeed, many bucking the trend in the wholesale mar-
outbreaks occur when said low quality ket where milk sells below the price of PHOSPHORUS CONCERNS
milk goes through a faulty pasteurizing production at around thirty pence per Many people have decided to cut
unit simply because such high levels of liter. We encourage journalists to sup- back on meat, dairy and eggs because of
infection are permitted in the bulk tank. port local, successful artisan farmers. warnings from the Institute of Medicine
This creates a moral hazard which has The FSA Board stated in their re- about excess phosphorus consump-
significant implications for milk quality cent board meeting announcing the raw tion. High levels of phosphorus are
and is part of the race to the bottom in milk review that they were united in the considered an independent predictive
milk quality and wholesale prices. Not view that raw milk is inherently danger- factor in mortality and morbidity from
only is quality compromised, but low ous; yet the same report confirms the cardiovascular problems, kidney disease
wholesale prices are caused by excess lack of danger, for there has been no out- and osteoporosis. The average American
quantities of low quality milk. break from raw milk for decades. This consumes twice the RDA of 700 mg
The article states that routine use of dichotomy and lack of confidence in the per day. Phosphorus, of course, is an
antibiotics is the cause of MRSA in bulk regulatory process is due to a combina- essential nutrient, and people shouldn’t
tanks, citing this as a reason to avoid tion of industry lobbying, in particular be deterred from eating traditional foods
drinking raw milk. However, any herd from Dairy U.K.. Their position is based such as grass-fed meats, pastured dairy
sickly enough to require routine antibi- on the fraudulent failure to recognize the and free range eggs.
otics would have a bacterial count too success of modern raw milk regulations Cutting out carbonated beverages
high to qualify for a raw milk license. and to make a distinction between raw is the most obvious way to reduce phos-
Furthermore, in raw dairies, cows are milk certified for human consumption phorus levels in the diet, but people also
taken off milking as soon as there is any and commodity raw milk destined for need to take a look at their consumption
sign of infection or need for antibiotics. pasteurization. of all packaged and processed foods,
Indeed, the entire herd will be taken Philip Ridley, Chapter Leader including health food store versions.
off milking for raw drinking milk with London, U.K. Phosphorous is routinely added via ad-
even the slightest antibodies to TB in ditives such as the anti-caking agents,
just one cow, and they are tested far MEAT EATER’S GUIDE? stabilizers, leavening agents or acidi-
more frequently and to a higher standard I was very disappointed when fiers. Since these are not required to be
than cows producing conventional milk. I went to Environmental Working listed on the label, it is difficult to know
Consumers concerned with routine Group's site today after receiving an how much is being added and con-
use of antibiotics should therefore be email about the EWG's Shopper's Guide sumed. When listed on the labels, they
encouraged to drink certified raw milk to Pesticides in Produce. On the main may show up as: tricalcium phosphate,
because raw dairies do not milk any page of the email they also have EWG's trimagnesium phosphate, disodium
cows on antibiotics. This one of the Meat Eater's Guide to Climate Change phosphate, dipotassium phosphate. Ac-
+ Health. Here they offer tips for meat cording to current regulations, these
Gifts and bequests to the eaters recommending that people eat ingredients are safe when used in good
Weston A. Price Foundation more grains, legumes, tofu and lower- manufacturing processes, but obviously
will help ensure the gift of good fat dairy products like non-fat yogurt. the more one consumes prepared foods,
health
to future generations. I plan to send them an email with my the more elevated the blood phosphorus
comments and hope that others might levels can rise.
10 Wise Traditions SPRING 2013 SPRING 2013 Wise Traditions