The need for research on raw milk cheese safety and quality

Cheesemaking is a major industry worldwide but it is often still practiced on a relatively small scale. This accounts for the rich diversity of cheeses available but also contributes to the difficulty in maintaining high standards. The production of raw milk cheese is also an important component of agricultural and socio-cultural traditions in many European countries, where local products are part of the identity and heritage of particular regions.Raw milk cheeses are mainly produced in small factories using traditional techniques. This makes raw milk cheese production primarily an SME activity. Even though these cheeses are highly appreciated because of their particular tastes and textures, raw milk cheeses are considered risky products. While some of this is an 'image' problem, it is also true that a number of foodborne disease outbreaks associated with raw milk cheeses have been reported worldwide. Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and verocitotoxin producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) were the causative agents of many of these outbreaks. Additionally, a chronic inflammation of the intestine (Crohn's disease), has been linked to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, a known pathogen of ruminants which is shed into their milk. Despite these risks, raw milk cheese has many health benefits, both from known nutrients and from possible conjugated linoleic acids and bioactive peptides including enzymes, and, perhaps because of this, consumer interest in all types of cheese is on the rise. Scientific knowledge is needed for the control of biological and chemical hazards associated with raw milk cheese production, and on the possible nutritional benefits of raw milk cheese for human health. For this, analytical tools have to be developed. In addition, practical solutions should be worked out in response to producers' needs to guarantee the safety and the quality of their products. Such approaches should consider the whole foodchain from "farm to fork", from "pasture to product", and keep in harmony with the environment.