www.slowfood.com

[Guest guest]

Interesting site...loved this gem:

Manifesto in defense of Raw-milk Cheese

Raw-milk cheese is more than a wonderful food, it is a deeply embedded

expression of our finest traditions. It is both an art and a way of life. It is

a culture, a heritage and a cherished landscape. And it is under threat of

extinction! Under threat because the values it expresses are in opposition to

the sanitation and homogenization of mass produced foods.

We call on all food-loving citizens of the world to respond now to the defense

of the unpasteurized cheese tradition. A defense of a food that has for hundreds

of years inspired, given pleasure and provided sustenance but is now being

insidiously undermined by the sterile hand of global hygiene controls.

We call for an end to all discriminatory regulations from EU, WTO, Food and Drug

Administration and other government Institutions that needlessly restrict

citizens' freedom of choice to purchase these foods, and threaten to destroy the

livelihood of the artisanal craftsmen who produce them.

We deplore attempts by regulatory authorities to impose unattainable standards

of production, in the name of protecting human health.

We believe that such impositions will have the adverse effect of that intended.

The bacteriological health of our unpasteurized dairy products is destroyed by

overzealous sterilization procedures. So will the health of human beings be

destroyed through a diet of sterile food. Without any challenge, our immune

system will fail and our medication become ineffective.

Moreover the unique flavor and aroma of the cheese are conserved by

non-pasteurization.

We therefore call upon those who have it in their power to safeguard the

diversity and complexity of our regional foods and the health and stability of

our rural communities to act now and ensure a flexible, fair and appropriate

regulatory framework; sensible controls and a positive disposition concerning

the future.

Be aware - that once the knowledge, skills and commitment of this culture have

been lost, they can never be regained.