Study on raw milk outbreaks from 1993-2006 showed that raw milk caused outbreaks that were:

• A. lesser
• B. greater
• C. equal
• D. not studied

Answer: (B)

Raw milk carries bacteria that pasteurization would kill, so it presents a higher infection risk when people are exposed. In the 1993–2006 period, outbreaks linked to raw milk occurred more often or involved more people than those linked to pasteurized dairy products. This reflects the absence of heat treatment, plus how raw-milk production and handling can allow contamination to persist from farm to table. Pathogens like Campylobacter, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria are commonly involved in raw-milk outbreaks, contributing to larger or more frequent outbreaks among exposed populations. So the study’s finding that raw milk outbreaks were greater makes sense given the protection pasteurization provides and the exposure risks with raw milk.