Raw milk cheeses are becoming increasingly common as the rules on importing them have been relaxed over the last two years. But they’re not safe for everyone to eat.
The milk in “raw” milk cheeses hasn’t been pasteurised to kill the bugs sometimes present that can cause food-borne illnesses such as listeriosis.
Not pasteurising milk is good news for cheese lovers because pasteurisation not only kills potentially harmful bugs, it also kills the helpful bacteria and enzymes that give well-made cheese character and complexity of flavour. As long as they’re stored and handled correctly, raw milk cheeses can be enjoyed by most people.
But expectant mothers, very young children, the frail and the elderly, and anyone whose immune system is compromised by illness or medication should avoid eating raw milk cheeses.
If you or anyone in your family fits one of these categories, check the label when buying imported cheeses. Raw milk cheeses will be labelled in the list of ingredients as containing unpasteurised or raw milk.
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To say 'should not eat' to pregnant women and others with certain health problems, is the scarymonger response. Consumer.org is about balance and consideration. The statement would be better expressed in terms of being cautious. Millions of people throughout the world still live as a result of eating unpateurised cheese. Go, I say.
I purchased two identically labelled samples of raw milk Camembert (origin Normandy - sold locally) at different dates. They had quite different quality of flavour, even though both were just within the useby date and stored by a reputable company. One had a distinctly "scallop" flavour. The other was a mild but recognisable Camembert.