Brian Adam MSP

Note: Data prior to 2005 is unreliable due to changes which were made to the STATS 19 data collection system.

However, the data which is available to the Food Standards Agency suggests that the numbers of cases of foodborne disease associated with the consumption of milk and cream have decreased significantly since the ban was introduced in 1983.

Published studies carried out in Scotland between 1980 and 1985 (Sharp JCM., Milk and dairy products, PHLS Microbiological Digest, 1986; 3: 28-9.) indicated that, in 1981, there were 782 cases of food-borne disease associated with all milk and cream, including three deaths, and in 1982, there were 539 cases, including one death. From 1983 (when the ban on the sale of raw milk was introduced), the number of cases decreased, with 29 cases recorded in 1983, 27 in 1984 and 74 in 1985. The majority of cases recorded during 1983 to 1985 occurred in the farming community. Please see the following table with data from 1980 to 1995.

Outbreaks of Foodborne Diseases In Scotland Associated With Raw Milk 1980 to 1995

Subsequent surveillance data has been obtained from Health Protection Scotland (HPS) through their ObSurv surveillance system which has recorded general outbreaks (i.e. two or more linked cases including members of more than one household, or residents of an institution) of infectious intestinal disease since 1996. This reported two outbreaks between 1996 and 2010 where raw milk was the suspected vehicle. These involved illness in four people in 1998 attributed to Salmonella Typhimurium and illness in three people in 1999 due to E.coli O157. No deaths were recorded.

In addition to ObSurv, HPS''s enhanced surveillance of Verotoxigenic E.coli (VTEC), was established in 1999, and collects information on sporadic (i.e. unlinked) cases of VTEC and exposures to known risk factors. Data between 1999-2010 (including provisional figures for 2010), indicated 11 cases of VTEC 0157( all of whom had contact with farms) which were reported to have consumed raw milk, although it should be noted that raw milk was only one of the potential risk factors for these cases and therefore cannot be confirmed as the direct cause of illness. Ten of these 11 cases were residents of private farms. HPS is not aware that any of these cases died as a result of their infections. None of these cases were part of the general outbreaks referred to in the previous paragraph.

In 2004 and 2005, three public consultations were carried out on the EU proposals and on the draft Food Hygiene Regulations and included a restriction on the placing on the market of raw cow''s drinking milk intended for direct human consumption. Scottish Government colleagues within the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Scottish Executive Development Department and the Scottish Executive Health Department and the Scottish Parliament were consulted. No adverse comments were received.

Approximately 700 Scottish stakeholders were consulted on the draft Food Hygiene Regulations (Scotland) consultation held in October 2004.

A total of 16 responses received were in favour of retaining the ban and in support of regulation 32 Schedule 6 providing restrictions on the placing on the market of raw milk and raw cream. Nine responses were from Scottish local authorities.

Two responses were received from food liaison groups (Lothian and Borders and West of Scotland) and three were from NHS service areas (Lothian, Highland and Dumfries and Galloway). Responses were also received from a hospitality association (British Hospitality Association) and from the Scottish Food Advisory Committee. All responses fully supported the retention of the raw milk and cream ban in Scotland.

FSA in Scotland did not receive any responses from Scottish stakeholders opposing the raw milk ban in Scotland.

In September 2005, approximately 700 Scottish stakeholders were again consulted on a further draft Food Hygiene (Scotland) (No 2) Regulations. On this occasion two responses were received - one from the NHS National Services Scotland and one from the food liaison group (Lothian and Borders). Both reinforced the importance on public health grounds of retaining the raw milk and cream ban in Scotland. FSA Scotland again did not receive comments from Scottish stakeholders opposing the ban in Scotland.

From 2005-2008, FSA in Scotland received 3 letters from the Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome Help (HUSH)* UK E-coli support group. The correspondence from HUSH supported the ban on raw drinking milk and raised concerns about the sale of raw milk for the use in raw milk products such as unpasteurised cheese and the labelling of unpasteurised cheeses.

In September 2000 an E.coli Task Force was appointed by the then Minister for Health and Community Care, Susan Deacon, under the joint sponsorship of the FSA in Scotland and the then Scottish Executive Health Department to examine the sources of E.coli O157 and the risks and measures to avoid or minimise exposure to infection.

In 2000-01, the task force received representations from the Scottish Food Co-ordinating Committee, HUSH and the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food and they all supported the continued application of the Scottish ban and proposed the introduction of compulsory pasteurisation of raw cow''s milk in England and Wales.

This task force published its report in October 2001 focusing mainly on the Scottish situation. It examined the foods associated with outbreaks of E.coli 0157, including the consumption of raw milk on farm in Scotland. The task force recommended that all raw drinking milk for sale in England and Wales should be heat treated and that the pasteurisation process should be extended to include all raw milk from other species such raw sheep and goat''s milk.

Note: * HUSH charitable organisation was set up in 1997 following the outbreak of E.coli 0157 in central Scotland (Wishaw) where 20 people died and there were 497 reported cases. HUSH aims to increase public awareness of E.Coli 0157, to disseminate information to avoid infection, to increase public awareness of E.coli 0157 and to encourage the Government to decrease the cases of E.coli 0157.