Raw milk

Raw milk refers to fresh, untreated cow’s milk. Within the European Union, raw milk is legally defined by Regulation 853/2004 as unaltered milk from one or more cows that has not been heated above its initial harvest temperature nor subjected to any treatment with a similar effect.
As unprocessed milk, raw milk must meet particularly high hygiene standards during collection, storage and distribution. Raw milk must always be stored in a cool place and may only be consumed after being boiled.
If you buy raw milk directly from the farm, it is only filtered and chilled. In contrast, so-called “pasteurized milk,” which is filtered and chilled in the same way as raw milk, is bottled in pre-packaged containers immediately after filtering, in accordance with strict hygiene requirements. However, it must also be boiled before consumption. This must be stated on the packaging or explicitly indicated at the point of sale.