There is a risk of pathogen contamination in milk produced from healthy cows under sanitary milk conditions, therefore pasteurization is necessary.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Not applicable
• D. Maybe

Answer: (B)

Milk safety relies on more than just healthy animals and clean milking. Even with healthy cows and sanitary conditions, there’s still a real chance that pathogens can be present or introduced during milking, handling, or storage. Pasteurization provides a proven, robust safeguard by heating milk to inactivate most disease-causing organisms, dramatically reducing the risk to consumers. It’s a standard practice precisely because relying on health and cleanliness alone cannot guarantee zero pathogens. Pasteurization doesn’t make milk sterile, but it greatly lowers the likelihood of illness from pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, and others. So, the statement is true.