See No Evil

Why did RFK Jr. limit the reporting of certain foodborne illnesses?

Recently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. limited the CDC’s role in monitoring foodborne outbreaks by making it optional to report infections caused by Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, and toxin-producing E. coli. Why these specific bacteria? The answer can be found in RFK Jr.’s love of raw, unpasteurized milk.

In 1862, Louis Pasteur invented a method—now called pasteurization—to kill bacteria in wine and beer. Beginning in the 1920s, Americans pasteurized cow’s milk. The pasteurization process is simple. Milk is rapidly heated to at least 161^oF (71.7^oC) for a minimum of 15 seconds, then quickly cooled. The process extends the shelf-life of milk and eliminates harmful intestinal bacteria like Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, and toxin-producing E. coli. People who drink unpasteurized milk are at least 100 times more likely to be infected with these bacteria than people who drink pasteurized milk. In the United States, outbreaks associated with consumption of dairy products account for about 760 illnesses and 22 hospitalizations every year, virtually all from unpasteurized milk. These illnesses aren’t trivial, causing fever, diarrhea, cramping, chills and, in rare cases, a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

If raw milk is more dangerous, why does RFK Jr. drink it? RFK Jr. believes that raw milk is more nutritious than pasteurized milk, which isn’t true. Although pasteurization kills bacteria, it doesn’t denature proteins or destroy the nutrients in milk. Both raw milk and pasteurized milk have similar nutritional benefits, including 13 essential nutrients like high-quality proteins and calcium.

RFK Jr. isn’t alone in his love of unpasteurized milk. His pick for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means, is also a fan. But Means has a “foolproof” way of avoiding raw milk that contains harmful bacteria. “When it comes to a question like raw milk,” said Means, “I want to be free to form a relationship with a local farmer, understand the integrity, look him in the eyes, pet his cow, and then decide if I feel free to drink the milk from the farm.” This might explain why RFK Jr. also eliminated the Milk Quality Testing branch at the FDA. No need. All you need to do is look the farmer in the eye and pet his cow. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. In some studies, up to a third of raw milk samples contain harmful bacteria, even when sourced from clinically healthy animals or from milk that appeared to be of good quality. With RFK Jr.’s approval, several bills are now pending before statehouses that would make it easier to sell and consume raw milk.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Casey Mean, the likely next United States Surgeon General, are today’s leaders of the Make America Healthy Again movement. Unfortunately, their promotion of raw milk will only make us less healthy.