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Food Safety Works Colorado State University Extension
SafeFood Rapid Response Network

SAFEFOOD NEWS - Fall 1996 - Vol 1, No. 1

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Advice Issued on Safe Cheese-Eating for Some European Vacationers

Visiting Europe without sampling its cheeses seems unthinkable to many food lovers. However, certain people--older adults, pregnant women, young children, and those with weakened immune systems--may want to take a few precautions to avoid illness. The danger? Cheese made with unpasteurized, or raw, milk.

Unlike in the U.S., raw milk cheeses are common throughout Europe, especially in France. Yet cheeses made from raw cow's or goat's milk are a common cause of illness, according to a recent study from the Pasteur Institute in Paris.

For example, last year an outbreak caused by Listeria monocytogenes affected a total of 20 individuals in eight regions of France. The infection was traced to a Brie made from raw cow's milk. In 1993 a large outbreak of salmonellosis in France was traced to unpasteurized goat's milk cheese. In this outbreak, 273 people became ill; one-third were hospitalized; one died. Unfortunately, you can't check cheese wrappers for the type of milk used; it's not required in Europe and restaurants may serve unwrapped cheese.

In the U.S., most cheese is made with milk that's been pasteurized to rid it of harmful microorganisms. If raw milk is used, as in some Cheddars and Colby, the cheese must be aged for a minimum of 60 days. The aging process destroys microorganisms primarily by shutting out moisture. Most wrapped cheeses sold in the U.S. voluntarily state on the label if pasteurized milk was used or whether the cheese was aged for 60 days or more.

If you are at high risk for foodborne illness, you can minimize your risk of getting sick overseas by consuming only well-aged cheeses such as Cheddar, Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, and Sapsago. Soft, unripened cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, Cottage cheese, Farmer cheese, Mascarpone, Mozzarella, and Ricotta should be avoided, as they may be made with raw milk.

Source: Environmental Nutrition, July 1996, p. 8.

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