Raw Milk Dangers

• In the U.S., 20 states don't allow stores to sell raw milk, as of 2012. Raw milk may contain bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria. These can all cause serious food poisoning. Other, less dangerous bacteria can cause mild food poisoning. Babies, young children, elderly people and those with an existing illness are particularly at risk from infection from raw milk.

Pasteurize to Neutralize

• Pasteurization involves heating to kill off bacteria and other pathogens. You can pasteurize raw milk at home. Fill a large pan with water and bring it to a boil. Place the raw milk in a smaller pan or heat-resistant jar and lower it into the boiling water. Keep stirring, then use a cooking thermometer to test when the milk reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Count down 15 seconds at this temperature, then remove the pan or jar and place in ice cold water to cool.

A Boil Too Far

• Boiling raw milk will destroy most of the harmful bacteria, but it also changes the milk's taste, smell and appearance. For many, this strange taste and smell is unappealing -- similar to the "cooked" taste of ultra-heat treated milk -- the type sold on the shelves in the supermarket. The UHT process involves bringing milk to temperatures well over boiling for a few seconds. If you don't like the flavor of UHT milk, then boiled raw milk probably won't suit your tastes.

Storing Your Milk

• Whether you choose to pasteurize or boil your milk, it must then be refrigerated and stored properly. It can be stored in clean paper or plastic cartons or bottles. You must set the refrigerator to 45 F or lower, though no lower than 34 F. The ideal temperature for milk is between 34 and 38 F. In these conditions, pasteurized milk will keep for around 10 to 21 days, advises Cornell University Department of Food Science. If the milk gives off a sour smell, discard it, even if you've only stored it a few days.