Got unpasteurized milk? Before pasteurization was introduced in 1864, all milk was consumed in its raw form. Today the sale of unpasteurized milk is illegal in many states because raw milk contains pathogens, yet some people attribute health benefits to raw milk. Feeding a diet of raw meat to cats and dogs seems to be a growing trend among pet owners, but does that too pose risks?
Find out the facts associated with raw diets for people and pets from a panel of experts at a free community forum entitled, “The Raw Facts: Food Fads, Fears, Fables, and Safety,” to be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana. This forum, the third in a spring 2013 series entitled “One Health & You: News You Can Use,” will be repeated on April 17 at Brookfield Zoo in the Chicago suburbs, also from 7 to 9 p.m.
The series is organized by the veterinary college’s Center for One Health Illinois. During the first hour, four panelists will give brief presentations covering health aspects of raw diets for people and pets, unpasteurized dairy products, and food safety regulations.
- Dr. Michael Miller, University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition: Nutrition and safety
- Steve DiVincenzo, Dairy Program Manager/Director, Illinois Department of Public Health: Laws and Safety
- Dr. Jen Burton, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine: Benefits of Raw foods
- Dr. Yvette Johnson-Walker, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine: Epidemiology of dairy outbreaks
The second hour of the evening will be devoted to questions from the audience.