Raw milk producers to be forced to make their product unpalatable under new Victorian regulations

Updated

Raw milk producers will be subject to tough new restrictions, making it harder to sell the product for human consumption, the Victorian Government has said.

Under the new regulations, dairy farmers producing milk must either make it safe for human consumption or make it unpalatable by adding a bittering agent.

"Raw milk producers will have to either treat the milk with a pasteurisation process to make sure that any harmful bacteria are killed before there is a risk that consumers will drink it," Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs Jane Garrett said.

"If they don't wish to go through this pasteurisation process, they will be required to add a very small drop of an agent that makes the milk entirely unpalatable.

"This means that the smallest amount will make the individual recoil in horror, which will prevent absolutely the deliberate or accidental consumption."

Earlier this month a three-year old boy died after drinking Mountain View Farm unpasteurised milk on the Mornington Peninsula, in Melbourne's south.

The Victorian Health Department said four other children also became ill after drinking the product.

The new rules allow manufacturers and farmers to turn raw milk into non-edible products, Ms Garrett said.

"It is used often in making soap for example, or making stock feed and that can be done without it ever gracing the shelves," she said.

Mountain View Farm said it was happy to work with the Health Department, but that legal advice prevented it from commenting further.

Ms Garrett said farmers who breached the new rules would face a fine and could have their licences cancelled.

"These new conditions will help protect Victorians from the serious risks of drinking raw unpasteurised milk," Ms Garrett said.

"Despite the labelling of raw milk as not fit for human consumption, some Victorians have been put at risk from drinking it.

"Raw milk has legitimate uses, but is not safe to drink. We are going to better regulate the industry to protect consumers."

Raw milk sold as bath milk

Raw milk is sold in Victoria as bath milk and labelled "not safe for human consumption".

But on December 11, Victoria's Chief Health Officer Dr Rosemary Lester said she was concerned that cosmetic milk was being sold next to drinking milk, and had written to Victorian Consumer Affairs about the issue.

"Unpasteurised milk is labelled and sold for cosmetic use only, but the packaging is often very similar to other milk products," Dr Lester said.

"Many people will have been drinking it without affect, but we can't guarantee that it's safe."

Since the 1940s it had been compulsory to pasteurise cow's milk for drinking in Australia, Dr Lester said.

"Milk is heated for a very short period of time effectively destroying any disease-causing bacteria which may be present in raw milk.

"Everyone is vulnerable to illness caused by the pathogens present in raw milk, but the risks are even greater for young children and for the elderly, those with underlying health problems, immuno-compromised or pregnant.

"No matter what precautions are taken by dairy farmers during milking, there can be no guarantee that the milk will be free from harmful bacteria, making pasteurisation essential."

Victoria's State Coroner is investigating the death of the boy who died after drinking raw unpasteurised milk.

Topics: health-administration, health, state-parliament, melbourne-3000

First posted