Organic Dairy
How to avoid rBGH and enjoy the finer things in life
Due to the now common use of rBGH, of Bovine Growth Hormone, all your cheese, milk and other dairy should be purchased organically. rBGH has been banned for use in Canada and most of the European Union, as well as many other countries throughout the world, yet in the US, unless you are buying organic, you are almost assuredly buying hormone injected cheese, milk, sour cream, etc.
There are many factors with organic dairy and cheese, one is pasteurization, un-pasteurized dairy is called Raw. In the United States laws regarding raw milk vary by state. Supporters of raw milk claim, including the Real Milk Campaign, that it has benefits for the consumer, the farmer, the cows, and the environment Critics of raw milk, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the group Public Citizen, cite the dangers of pathogens and dispute the health claims. Despite the restrictions and conditions imposed on producers of raw milk, the FDA states "raw milk, no matter how carefully produced, may be unsafe."
Homogenization is a factor to consider when buying organic dairy, most raw organic milk is not homogenized due in part to the high costs in machinery, and in part to the perception that cream floating on the to seems, and is, a very natural way for milk to be. There are health benefits to consider as well; Dr. Kurt A. Oster's studies from the 1960s to the 1980s suggest that homogenized milk is a major factor in plaque formation, causing heart disease. This is due to the unnatural nature of the fatty particles in the milk. As milk in homogenized, the fat breaks down into tiny particles that can scar your arteries causing cholesterol to attach itself to the scar tissue and block arterial passage.
Some other benefits to buying organic cheeses is that you get the craftsmanship of small dairies, and when you find organic cheese in the store, you are very likely to find a wide array of cheese choices, often more that you will find at a conventional grocery store, in part because the organic food buyer tends to be a more savvy consumer looking for the finer tastes in life, and in part because organic grocers have a smaller pool to draw from, and stock what is available, so introduce yourself to real flavor adventures with organically produced cheese.
Questions? Comments?
send email to greazer@hotmail.com (email encoded to protect against spam)