Raw milk

Milk sold without the heat treatment that kills pathogens and spoilers, also called unpasteurized milk. Traditional cheesemakers prize it for the complex flavors its native flora builds during ripening, but drunk fresh it can carry Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli O157, and Listeria from outwardly healthy animals or milking equipment. Many countries ban its retail sale for direct drinking; others allow it under licensing with routine testing and warning labels. Pasteurization remains the single step that made milk one of the safest foods in the modern diet.