Raw milk update (6/25)

Submitted by bandstra on Sat, 2011-06-25 11:47

6/25 (11:47am): A raw milk sample collected on 6/15 was added to the raw milk page. We have our second consecutive non-detection of all isotopes in raw milk and will be discontinuing raw milk testing.

Mark [BRAWM Team Member]

‹ Bay Area water supply comes from the only red hot spot of Cs-137 in the US An INTENSE moment of TRUTH with MAINSTREAM Media ›

Bump

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 2011-10-19 20:17.

Bump

Can you explain why you are

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2011-07-02 01:07.

Can you explain why you are discontinuing testing for raw milk only after two non detects?

I would understand after maybe 5 or 10 but only after 2? The situation in Japan is not contained yet and maybe the non detects are due to the low rain exposure we've had in the last few weeks.

Can you explain why you are

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2011-06-26 21:25.

Can you explain why you are discontinuing testing for raw milk only after two non detects?

I would understand after maybe 5 or 10 but only after 2? The situation in Japan is not contained yet and maybe the non detects are due to the low rain exposure we've had in the last few weeks.

Excellent news, thanks Mark.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2011-06-25 11:58.

Excellent news, thanks Mark. However, please continue to monitor pasteurized milk, as many of us are still quite concerned about the cesium levels in dairy products.

Thanks!

Yes, pasteurized milk will

Submitted by bandstra on Sat, 2011-06-25 12:08.

Yes, pasteurized milk will continue until we have a few non-detections. Testing will continue at a rate of about one test per week.

Mark [BRAWM Team Member]

Again, thank you. Something

Submitted by BC (not verified) on Sat, 2011-06-25 20:57.

Again, thank you.

Something I might add - yesterday I posted a cold war era paper on cesium levels in milk. The scientists who wrote it tracked the levels over a couple of years. An interesting thing - levels can go up in milk even when they are going down in the environment (esp grass/soil). Reason? Hay.

During this era, the spring rains dumped loads of crap on the hay, and so the "first cut" (spring) hay was more contaminated. When the cows ate that stuff, levels would increase, even though the levels in the environs would suggest otherwise

I very much appreciate BRAWM's work, please keep an eye on this....

That's fascinating ..and it

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2011-06-25 21:11.

That's fascinating ..and it makes perfect sense. Thanks, BC, and great job!

All dairy products

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2011-06-25 15:01.

Would it be safe to assume that when you get a couple of non-detects for milk then our dairy supply is safe. I am still concerned about cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, fresh mozzarella, and yogurt. I would really love to see some tests on yogurt, butter and sour cream as these products are consumed by children. Thank you for all the testing you have done! As a mom, I am grateful for the information which enables me to make choices for my family! Thank you!Y

Many cheeses have quite long

Submitted by BC (not verified) on Sun, 2011-06-26 08:19.

Many cheeses have quite long shelf lives - you could go buy cheddar at the store right now that was made of April milk (the worst of it). I believe mozz and yogurt are not quite that way, but a lot of it on the shelf is probably from milk 4-6 weeks back.

Buy aged cheese if you are concerned. Many very nice cheeses are aged. Once you feel OK about milk, you could make yogurt from that...

I have been buying super

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2011-06-26 13:47.

I have been buying super aged cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan. But my concern is mainly over butter, sour cream and yogurt. I have been buying Icelandic yogurt and soy and coconut but soon with new soy crops that might be contaminated too. It would be nice to know when the milk is completely safe so I can start buying yogurt for my kids. I am having a hard time trusting the companies as some of them did not answer my inquiries regarding testing and where their milk comes from. Only the Horizon brand replied and stated that their milk comes from Colorado, Arizona and Texas. Those areas appear to be less affected than California. This is just too difficult, especially when one has to also make sure that the products are not processed in facilities that process nuts as my boy is very sensitive to extremely small amounts and lot of yogurt companies make nut products. I need to learn to make my own yogurt!

Tillamook Brand...We've been

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2011-06-26 09:00.

Tillamook Brand...We've been buying the stuff 6 month aged cheddar. It's tough though...we are on WIC assistance for her pregnancy and the state issues us four cartons of milk at no charge every week. So the stuff just sits there tempting us. Don't tell my fiance but I've taking the bullet so to speak and have been drinking a lot of it myself just so she is forced to drink the soy milk instead (Sneaky SOB...I know). I think I'm having a dairy OD.

You're gonna be a great dad.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2011-06-26 13:10.

You're gonna be a great dad.

I think you are doing the

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2011-06-26 12:56.

I think you are doing the right thing taking the bullet.

"However, he added that infants, children up to the age of 14 and pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid eating food contaminated with even the small doses of radiation. In fact he said that adults should leave safer food for these more at-risk segments of the population even if it means they will eat contaminated food themselves."

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110626x3.html

http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/node/4798