U.S. Restaurants?

Question

Are all U.S. restaurants required to serve pasteurized dairy products? I was at a restaurant last weekend and they said the cheese I ate was UNpasteurized. I was under the impression that this was illegal in the United States. Does anyone know?

Answer 1

You were under a correct impression. In 1924, the United States Public Health Service (USPHS), a branch of the Food and Drug Administration, developed the Standard Milk Ordinance, known today as the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO). This is a model regulation helping states and municipalities have an effective program to prevent milk borne disease.

Forty-six of the 50 have adopted most or all of the PMO for their own milk safety laws with those states not adopting it passing laws that are similar. California, Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland have not adopted the PMO.

Section 9 of the PMO states in part that, "only Grade "A" pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized or aseptically processed milk and milk products shall be sold to the final consumer, to restaurants, soda fountains, grocery stores or similar establishments." In spite of 46 states adopting the PMO, it is at least technically possible at the present time to legally sell or distribute raw milk for human consumption in 32 states.

You may refer to "Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (2003 revision)" for more info.

Answer 2

I am unawares that they can serve unpasteurized dairy here in America.so I would say no..it all is pasteurized. and as one other has said,,maybe specialty restaurants might have an exemption.but it has to be posted and informed!

Answer 3

Try the FDA's website. It's an interesting situation as Pasteurization, if I guess correctly boils the food value out of what's in milk. Which is why it says ' Vitamin D ' added. Which sounds both redundant and ridiculous, don't it?

Answer 4

I think there are some boutique creameries that are exempt....