[Sca-cooks] Yet More Food Safety

[Decker, Terry D.]

> 1)  How dangerous, *really*, are uncooked eggs?  I've
> got all sorts of recipes from only a few decades ago
> that call for them.

A few decades ago, you got eggs from the chicken or the guy down the way who
raised chickens.  The eggs were fresh and you usually didn't have to worry
about Salmonella or other.  Now, you have no idea how long that egg has been
away from Momma or what the storage conditions were.

Most raw eggs are just fine.  It just when you get the one that isn't.

>
> 2)  How dangerous, *really*, is unpasteurized cow
> milk?  Does it just start to go off sooner?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
> Yours in Safety,
> Rogez du Pont

While pasteurization of milk does prolong shelf life by killing off the
bacteria and thus produce a more commercial product, it was primarily done
to prevent the spread of tuberculosis through milk from infected cows.  Over
the past 60 years, the Animal Disease Eradication Program has reduced the
tuberculosis rate in animals tremendously and it is not quite the issue it
once was.

During the 70s, I purchased raw Guernsy milk from a local dairy and had no
problems.  But I happen to know the herd was tested monthly and its
pasturage and barns rigorously maintained to keep it disease free.  It is
usually cheaper to pasteurize than to jump through all the hoops necessary
to sell raw milk if the state permits raw milk sales in the first place.  In
addition, most commercial dairy are processors rather than producers of milk
and can't guarantee the quality of their suppliers.

Bear